Readistan by Shahrukh Nadeem
Shahrukh Nadeem’s Readistan covers 50 of the best books such as the Art of War, the Prince, and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, among others.
This review will briefly discuss the 10 books that the reviewer appreciated the most in Readistan.
Greening Skills: TVET Sector’s Response to Environmental Issues
Environmental concerns are becoming increasingly important and hence they require our immediate attention. There is a need for young people to be trained in greening skills.
This article explores the importance of greening skills and how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector can play a pivotal role in addressing major environmental issues.
Why Pakistan Refuses to Sign the NPT
Of the nine nuclear-weapon states, only the P5 states have consented to be bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty or the NPT. Pakistan, India, North Korea, and Israel are not parties to the treaty.
In this piece, Hurria Binte Abdullah describes the three major reasons behind Pakistan’s resistance to the treaty.
The first reason is mistrust and disappointment with the US as a strategic and security ally, the second is India’s non-acceptance of the NPT, and the third is the fact that there are inherent loopholes within the NPT itself that raise concerns about future commitments and effectiveness of the treaty.
Prospects of a Technocratic Government in Pakistan
Rumors of technocracy have been echoing in Pakistan for a few weeks as the country’s economic plight worsens with each passing day.
A technocratic government is a form of government in which the ministers of the government are not politicians by career and do not necessarily belong to any political party.
How a Bloody & Battered TTP Made a Comeback in Pakistan
It is difficult to understate the deadly threat of the TTP’s resurgence in Pakistan. With the country already in economic distress as it is, the growing militancy has further enfeebled the state. Sarmad Ishfaq deems three primary reasons for the TTP’s revival: the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the peace negotiations with the TTP, and Imran Khan’s ouster.
FATF Exit: Benefits for Pakistan
Placed on the FATF’s grey list in June 2018, Pakistan was finally removed from the list in October 2022. The country has undoubtedly undergone strict scrutiny from the global monetary watchdog.
Of course, there should be benefits that come with being white-listed, but what are they? And how much loss has the country suffered from being placed on the grey list for over four years?
Importance of Geographic Information System (GIS) in Securing Pakistan
Muhammad Osama Asghar discusses a feeble branch of geography that can prove to be a vital source of security in Pakistan.
If implemented in an effective manner, the Geographic Information System (GIS) can be the lifeline that sustains the Pakistani economy while allowing us to prepare ourselves for impending natural, external, or domestic calamities.
Myths Around Pakistan’s Nukes & National Security
Brig Syed Mushtaq Ahmed (Retd) dispels four virulent myths that have been making the rounds. These include:
1. Balkanization of Pakistan
2. Pakistan is a failed state
3. Pakistan is an epicentre of terrorism
4. The threat to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
He believes that the common objective is to debilitate and defang Pakistan—the only Muslim nuclear power that could threaten US, India, and Israel.
Pakistan-US Relations: As Fickle as the Weather
The US has had a turbulent relationship with Pakistan since the country’s independence in 1947. Over the course of 75 years, minor changes have occurred in the way bilateral exchanges are conducted between the two nations.
Despite the rollercoaster relationship, the US has assisted Pakistan by providing necessary loans, humanitarian aid, and military equipment during exigent situations.
Moreover, the US is a major foreign direct investor in Pakistan’s economy, and its largest export partner.
However, bilateral relations between the two have been deteriorating because of scathing remarks and underhanded activities.
Pakistan Grants Tajikistan Access to Gwadar
Due to its strategic location, Pakistan is a country that the Central Asian Republics cannot ignore. Areej Haider aims to explain the recent access to Gwadar for Tajikistan, its importance for both states, and future implications.
Street Child Football World Cup: Pakistan Secures 2nd Place
Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the Street Child Football World Cup took place from the 7th to the 15th of October in Qatar. The team from Pakistan assiduously reached the finals against Egypt, coming in 2nd place.
Cricket Comes Home: The Upcoming Pakistan-England Test Series
After nearly two decades, England’s cricket team landed in Pakistan to play a seven-match T20 series with the Pakistani team in September-October this year.
Thanks to the hospitality appreciated by the English team, Pakistan is now all set to welcome them again.
The test series between the two countries will start from Rawalpindi, and subsequent matches will be played in Multan and Karachi.
Propaganda Against Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: From “Islamic Bomb” to Biden’s Comments
For decades, the West has had its eyes set on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, going as far as to stir up paranoia against it. The recent statement by President Joe Biden is just another notch in America’s extensive propaganda campaign against Pakistan. Sarmad Ishfaq points out the fallacies in the West’s perceived notion of Pakistan’s nuclear insecurity. He highlights how Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are secure and in turn proves that the countries questioning Pakistan have many nuclear-related issues themselves.
Pakistani Exports: The Struggling Cotton & Textile Industries
Despite being the 4th largest producer of cotton in Asia, Pakistan ranks 8th in the continent when it comes to its textile exports. Although Pakistan’s textile exports have increased in the last year, its textile industry has not been functioning up to its true potential. Noticing this, Muhammad Bilal Farooq identifies the multiple factors that have fettered the growth of Pakistan’s textile exports over the years. He suggests that Pakistan’s government and private sector take immediate actions to address these impediments.
The Assassination of CJ Meskanzai: The Latest Victim of the Baloch Insurgency
The re-emergence of increased separatist movements is a direct consequence of trans-provincial alliances between Baloch and other separatist groups.
The Baloch insurgents are now reaching new extremes – and have even started attacking high-profile individuals. One such tragedy was the senseless killing of Chief Justice Meskanzai.