By Sajjad Shaukat The government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) presented its first federal budget for the fiscal year 2019-20 in the Parliament on June 11, this year, setting ambitious tax collection targets to stabilise a faltering economy. In this regard, Minister of State for Finance Hammad Azhar presented the budgetary proposals in the National Assembly. In his speech, in the beginning, he s ...

By Sajjad Shaukat The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (ASD, also known as the Quad), comprising the United States, Japan, India, and Australia held a meeting in Bangkok in Thailand in the beginning of March, this year. The strategic meeting was attended by the senior officials of these countries who talked on their collective efforts for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, opposing China’s influ ...

By Sajjad Shaukat Three people were killed and five soldiers injured in a clash between security forces and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) protesters on May 26, this year in North Waziristan. In this regard army’s media wing DG of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major-General Asif Ghafoor said: “a group led by Mohsin Javed and Ali Wazir, assaulted Kharqamar check post, Boyya, North Waziristan tribal ...

By Sajjad Shaukat Opposition parties have agreed to convene an All Parties Conference (APC) after Eid-ul-Fitr. They have agreed for launching a protest movement against the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) government which has continued anti-corruption drive and documentation of the economy to pull Pakistan out of the multiple crises. The purpose of this conference is to put pressure on the government and crea ...

By Sajjad Shaukat ‘Operation Blue Star’ was an Indian military operation which occurred between 3–8 June 1984, ordered by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to control over the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs in Amritsar, Punjab, and to arrest Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the complex buildings. Bhindranwale had earlier taken residence in ...

“The US is the most warlike nation in the history of the world, forcing other countries to adopt our American principles.” - Jimmy Carter Asif Haroon Raja America’s history of aggression While there is a prevalent belief among the Americans that the US almost always wages war for noble purposes and in defense of freedom, global public opinion and facts paint a very different picture. Most countries surveyed ...

By Sajjad Shaukat Each year, United Nations Day is celebrated on May 29. On this day in 1945, the United Nations (UN) came into force when the five permanent members of the Security Council ratified its charter This followed a declaration by the UN General Assembly in 1947 which designated 29th of May as United Nations Day, by proclaiming that the day would be instrumental in making people aware of the aims ...

By Sajjad Shauka While showing aggressive designs, on May 11, 1998, the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee surprised the international community by announcing that India has conducted three nuclear tests earlier that day. On May 13, 1998, India conducted two more nuclear tests. In order to create balance of power in South Asia, Pakistan successfully conducted five nuclear tests on May 28, 1998. ...