The Pakistani Spectator

A Candid Blog


Author Archive

Pakistan US Strategic Dialogue

By Dr. Huma Mir • Apr 5th, 2010 • Category: Politics

Pakistan – US Strategic Dialogue has been an ongoing institutionalized process involving senior officials but despite the hype that this periodical interaction generates, the forum is primarily a platform to convey each other’s concerns and view points on bilateral military and security issues. However, the presence of decision makers in the upcoming Pak –US dialogue [...]



Pak US Strange Allies

By Dr. Huma Mir • Mar 17th, 2010 • Category: Politics

President Obama’s inaugural pledge to defeat Al Qaeda and Taliban appears in stark contrast to the ground realities in Afghanistan. Obama’s much hyped AF PAK policy is believed to have been practically castigated to history after multiple reviews. The US military’s assessment of the war in Afghanistan too paints a bleak picture. The Taliban today [...]



Afghan Stability and India

By Dr. Huma Mir • Mar 14th, 2010 • Category: Politics

Gen Ashfaque Parvez Kayani’s recent comments where he described the Indian role in Afghanistan as “Unhelpful” summarises our national security concerns. Pakistan has been voicing for some time its serious apprehensions regarding Indian support to the terror outfits in Pakistan including Baluch separatists and Pakistani Taliban. Only last month Pakistani Intelligence unearthed a RAW hatched [...]



Paradigm shift in Afghanistan

By Dr. Huma Mir • Mar 9th, 2010 • Category: Politics

President Obama’s AF–PAK policy unveiled only last year is dead. There is a paradigm shift, in a total turnaround to Obama’s inaugural pledge to defeat Al-Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan. Today US and ISAF appear reconciled to the fact that, they cannot defeat them. The new design is to get the Afghan government to engage [...]



Leadership Better Mend Ways

By Dr. Huma Mir • Mar 7th, 2010 • Category: Politics

This year the Independence Day and the Defence of Pakistan Day were celebrated with an unusual and spontaneous people’s participation. A lot of people and intellectuals kept wondering, why such spillover of national emotions and joy on the streets and elsewhere. Has the governance improved, has the economy improved bringing more jobs and prosperity for [...]



Indo-Pakistan talks and Afghanistan

By Dr. Huma Mir • Mar 6th, 2010 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look

The Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh, on his visit to Saudi Arabia made the surprise offer of dialogue to Pakistan on all issues ranging from Kashmir, Indus Water Treaty to Terrorism. This Indian pronouncement within days after scuttling the Secretary-level talks in Delhi is really baffling. Both India and Pakistan entered the Delhi talks [...]



South Waziristan — Failure is not an Option

By Dr. Huma Mir • Feb 20th, 2010 • Category: Politics

‘Operation Rah-e-Raast’ in Swat has been a great success not only for the Army but also for the elected government which took the risk of ordering a military operation in settled areas. Alhamdolillah, the Army came out with flying colors having decimated those who audaciously challenged the writ of the government. In our history, this [...]



US and Pakistan Strange Allies

By Dr. Huma Mir • Feb 19th, 2010 • Category: Politics

President Obama’s inaugural pledge to defeat Al Qaeda and Taliban appears in stark contrast to the ground realities in Afghanistan. Obama’s much hyped AF PAK policy is believed to have been practically castigated to history after multiple reviews. The US military’s assessment of the war in Afghanistan too paints a bleak picture. The Taliban today [...]



Afghan Stability and India

By Dr. Huma Mir • Feb 13th, 2010 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look

Gen Ashfaque Parvez Kayani’s recent comments where he described the Indian role in Afghanistan as “Unhelpful” summarises our national security concerns. Pakistan has been voicing for some time its serious apprehensions regarding Indian support to the terror outfits in Pakistan including Baluch separatists and Pakistani Taliban. Only last month Pakistani Intelligence unearthed a RAW hatched [...]



Karachi Carnage

By Dr. Huma Mir • Feb 10th, 2010 • Category: Features

Karachi is bleeding after the twin blasts on Chehlum Day claimed 33 lives and left more than 170 injured. The law enforcement apparatus has not learnt its lessons, as usual even before collecting evidence for investigation, there were contradictory statements from Police Officials and Bomb Disposal Squad on the nature of blast. One agency stated [...]