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Two years ago, during the Arab Spring uprisings in several West Asian nations, youth and pro-democracy movements flared up on the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain. In light of these events, this paper assesses how Bahrain’s policies toward its Shia constituency have affected relations between Sunni and Shia groups.
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The high level of enthusiasm expressed by New Delhi – for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s expected return to power – may perhaps be premature. India be patient with the new government in Islamabad.
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The national election in Pakistan looks like a game of polarisation, but if democracy is meant to provide some relief and prosperity, all political parties have flopped, bottom up. The field is now wide open, and anything can happen - including a hung parliament.
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With Pakistan geared for a defining general election scheduled for May 11, Council on Foreign Relations' Daniel Markey, in a debate, titled ‘The civil-military equation in Pakistan has begun to tilt in favour of civilians,’ argues for the motion.
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The Chinese army’s trespassing of the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control near Ladakh has fuelled serious security concerns in India. This signals a sharper policy from Beijing towards India; it is also why its response must be firm, and the Chinese must be seen to back off.
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Political disputes and popular passions in North East Asia argue for discreet diplomacy and the provision of mutual assurances to prevent conflict and escalation.
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The new provocations from Pyongyang heighten the risk of a military showdown with the U.S., South Korea and Japan. China, the only power with sway over the regime, is exercising limited options for peace on the peninsula.
Courtesy: Election Commission of Pakistan
Pakistan’s Chief Election Commissioner, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim, faces a host of challenges as he oversees the transition of the country’s first civilian government to complete its full five-year term. Will he be able to overcome the hurdles and ensure the free and fair polls Pakistan has so far been deprived of?
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The Arab uprisings show no sign of closure, and have become amorphous. While New Delhi has so far been immunised from the political and religious dimensions of the uprisings, the rise of political Islam, Islamic governance, and continuing instability will impact India.
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After each terror attack in india, there are strident demands for military action against Pakistan. ‘Surgical’ strikes and limited war in a bilateral nuclear age are not really options. What is needed is more decisive action on non-military fronts