ViewsWeek Views from around the world
I feel we are living in a vertical democracy. As the President of the country stated, we do have elections on a regular basis. We are governed by a Constitution, which establishes democratic institutions of governance. One can check the boxes: Sri Lanka has an Executive, Parliament, a Judiciary, and universal franchise is an age-old tradition in the country. This …
September, 2013
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19 September
De-Weaponizing Pakistan’s Most Violent City
The paramilitary Rangers “targeted operation” to restore peace to Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi under the direction of the provincial Sindh government commenced on a low-key basis, a number of ‘suspects’ taken into custody and some arms and ammunition seized. It remains to be seen whether putting the operation into high gear will make an improvement, the lawlessness continues as …
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18 September
A Language That Built A Nation
For newly independent nations, the choice of an official, national language was crucial, and often controversial, made especially so in the context of polyphonic and geographically diverse countries like China, India, and Indonesia. In China, the Communist Party, opted for Putonghua, or Mandarin, the language of the capital, Beijing. In India, the initial intention of the postcolonial state — to …
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18 September
An Indian Perspective: Cannot Wish Away Afghan Troubles
New Delhi’s delusion that taking strong measures to protect its interests in Afghanistan will lead to war in South Asia will cost this country dear.
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17 September
When The Water Runs Dry, The Ideas Flow
STOCKHOLM: Droughts are rarely seen as a positive development. Historically equated with divine punishment, they can be fatal to local economies and human lives alike. But they can also provide a crucial test for water management systems, which – when they function effectively – may allow regions to shake off severe droughts that would have otherwise led to widespread loss …
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17 September
Threats And Pakistan’s New Counter Terrorism Strategy
About a week ago, without the usual international attention, Pakistan miraculously achieved a milestone that has proved to be elusive since the war against terror erupted in 2001. With the US slated to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014, the new government has achieved consensus on a strategy to fight the extremists. This is after realizing that the bullet train cannot …
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17 September
India’s Divisive Political Face
Now that India’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has settled on Narendra Modi, a top right-wing politician and chief minister of western state of Gujarat, as its prime ministerial candidate for the next year’s crucial elections, commentators across India and beyond are looking at the emerging political circus with inquietude. Modi is likely to face a stiff challenge from Rahul …
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16 September
Can Asia Go The Next Round on Economic Integration?
Despite the slowing growth in some economies, Asia is still the most dynamic part of the world economy. Output, trade and incomes per head are still growing faster on average than in most other parts of the world economy. But there are threats to Asia’s economic growth on the horizon, not only because of the lingering malaise of industrial-country economies …
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15 September
In Afghanistan, Victory Comes From Sports, Not War
Celebrations erupted across Afghanistan last week after the country’s nascent national team won the South Asian Football Federation Asian Championship in Kathmandu, Nepal, beating regional giant India 2-0. The jubilations show that Afghans, like any other nation, cherish the normal pursuits of present-day life: peace, happiness and national preeminence. Cricket is another major sport that Afghans are fast becoming passionate about …
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15 September
Pakistan: Journalism Gets Perilous by Day
Investigative journalist Ali K. Chishti had a nightmare in Karachi (Pakistan’s southern port city) on the evening of August 30, 2013. He was traumatized by a 10-hour ordeal after ‘uniformed Karachi police personnel’ abducted him and his driver. Chishti was handed over to a group of people who were irked by his writings for one of the country’s leading weekly …
