December, 2017
BACKGROUNDER: A SELECTION OF REPORTS ON AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN (POSTED FEBRUARY 17, 2018)
Written by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten At least since September 11, 2001 the Afghan Taliban, Al Qaeda and religiously based terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have gained the international limelight. Well before 9/11, however, a number of other regional developments have thoroughly rocked the Southern Asian […]
IN THE NEWS: AFGHAN PEACE CHALLENGE (DECEMBER 31, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Afghan peace challenge SOURCE: Dawn Sunday, December 31, 2017 By MUHAMMED AMIR RANA * The year 2018 may further complicate the Afghan challenge for Pakistan. AFGHANISTAN remained a key diplomatic challenge for Pakistan in 2017, with various strategic, security, economic and internal political implications. The US pressed […]
INN THE NEWS: NAWAZ IN KSA AMID ‘DEAL’ RUMOURS (DECEMBER 31, 2018)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Nawaz in KSA amid ‘deal’ rumours SOURCE: The Nation Sunday, December 31, 2017 LAHORE – Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Saudi Arabia yesterday, amid reports that the kingdom was active to broker a deal between him and Pakistan’s military establishment. Earlier in the evening he […]
IN THE NEWS: RESPONSE TO U.S. (DECEMBER 30, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Response to US SOURCE: Dawn Saturday, December 30, 2017 EDITORIAL A SERIES of sharply worded comments about Pakistan by officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration has elicited a sharp reaction from this country. On Thursday, DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor delivered a tough message to […]
IN THE NEWS: U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS HIT A NEW LOW IN 2017 (DECEMBER 30, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten US-Pakistan relations hit a new low in 2017 SOURCE: Dawn Saturday, December 30, 2017 By ANWAR IQBAL WASHINGTON: US-Pakistan relations hit a new low in 2017 and a series of high-level contacts between the two countries exposed the weakness in this relationship instead of strengthening it. It […]
IN THE NEWS: 40 DEAD, DOZENS WOUNDED IN MULTIPLE KABUL BLASTS (DECEMBER 28, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten 40 dead, dozens wounded in multiple Kabul blasts SOURCE: The Nation Thursday, December 28, 2017 By AFP At least 40 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple blasts at a Shiite cultural centre in Kabul on Thursday, officials said, in the latest deadly violence to […]
IN THE NEWS: BENAZIR’S MURDER MUST NOT GO UNPUNISHED (DECEMBER 27, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Benazir’s murder must not go unpunished SOURCE: Daily Times Wednesday, December 27, 2017 EDITORIAL Today marks the tenth death anniversary of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. To say that her loss makes Pakistan a poorer place will be an understatement. Benazir was, and remains, a symbol of courage […]
IN THE NEWS: U.S. INTERVENTION HELPED CALM AFGHAN TERRORIST CRISIS, SAYS PUTIN (DECEMBER 27, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Putin: U.S. intervention helped calm Afghan terrorist crisis SOURCE: Afghanistan Sun Wednesday, December 27, 2017 By SHEETAL SUKHIJA * The Russian President seemed to back U.S. intervention in Afghanistan * He said if the U.S. wasn’t there in Afghanistan, the situation would be worse * He however […]
IN THE NEWS: PML-N TO REGISTER HISTORIC WIN IN 2018 ELECTION (DECEMBER 26, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten PML-N to register historic win in 2018 election SOURCE: Daily Times Tuesday, December 26, 2017 LAHORE: Former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said that his party Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) will register a historic victory in the 2018 elections. Addressing his party’s social […]
IN THE NEWS: BEIJING MOOT BACKS TALKS WITH TALIBAN (DECEMBER 26, 2017)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Beijing moot backs talks with Taliban SOURCE: The Express Tribune Tuesday, December 26, 2017 Pakistan, Afghanistan and China reaffirmed on Tuesday their support for a broad-based and an inclusive process to bring peace to the war-torn Afghanistan and stressed the need for dialogue between the government in […]