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Chief Minister of Pakistan Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, recently underscored the need for greater cooperation between both Punjabs to counter the challenge of smog. Earlier this year, while speaking to Sikh pilgrims from India at Kartarpur Sahib, she had underscored the importance of ‘Punjabiyat’. The Punjabs on both sides have played an important role in people-to-people, cultural as well as economic linkages between both countries. Since 2019, when trade links between India and Pakistan, via the Wagah-Attari land crossing, were discontinued, there have been significant job losses resulting in a major setback to the border districts of Punjab (India). Maryam Nawaz’s remarks have raised hopes of resumption of engagement – albeit incremental – between both countries via the Punjabs.

Nawaz Sharif's Call for Introspection Fuels Debate on India-Pakistan Relations

Politics World

2 June 2024 Tridivesh Singh Maini

Nawaz Sharif’s Call for Introspection Fuels Debate on India-Pakistan Relations

Diplomacy and Pragmatism in India-Pakistan Ties must be practiced in a cautious, low key and incremental manner for global peace.

Navigating Strained Ties: Punjab's Influence on India-Pakistan Trade Resumption

Politics World

26 May 2024 Tridivesh Singh Maini

Navigating Strained Ties: Punjab’s Influence on India-Pakistan Trade Resumption

Punjab’s crucial diplomatic role is visible between India and Pakistan in reviving economic linkages between India and Pakistan.

Politics World

26 February 2024 Sohail Mahmood

The Political Drama of February 8: Pakistan’s Rigging Episode and the Fall of Curtains on a Democratic State

From a hybrid democratic system, Pakistan has descended to an authoritarian system of governance much like the Central Asian republics

China-Afghanistan Ties Af-Pak Faultlines

Blossoming China-Afghanistan Ties, Deepening Faultlines in Af-Pak

The timing of China accepting the credentials of the Afghan ambassador, appointed by the Taliban, also comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have witnessed a significant deterioration.

Economy Human Rights Politics World

10 July 2023 Sohail Mahmood

Pakistan: Economic Crisis & The IMF Reform Agenda

Pakistan, the IMF Deal, and Reforms at best need capacity at all levels of the government and must be free from best brains leaving country.

Economy Editor's Pick World

5 February 2023 Tridivesh Singh Maini

Vicious Cycle of Economic Slowdown in South Asia

Sri Lanka and Pakistan are dealing with serious economic crises. Apart from serious domestic issues like shortage of essential commodities, and power cuts, both countries have meagre foreign exchange reserves. The excessive dependence on China is the main reason for the increasing debt trap. Both countries also had to seek International Monetary Fund (IMF) assistance despite domestic opposition against the conditionalities imposed by the IMF. It is important for South Asian countries to work towards more robust economic linkages within the region and to shed dependence upon external assistance.

Politics Public Policy World

20 January 2023 Tridivesh Singh Maini

India-Pakistan: Scope Of Soft Diplomacy

Ties between India and Pakistan are complex. Dictated by geopolitical factors and domestic politics, it is tough for any third country to really bring about a dramatic change in the short run. In recent years, Gulf countries have been playing an important role in reducing tensions between India and Pakistan.

Politics World

8 November 2022 Tridivesh Singh Maini

Pakistan’s China-USA Policy: De-hyphenation or Zero Sum?

In order to put its economy back on the rails, Pakistan needs to maintain good relations not just with China, but also put its bilateral ties with the US back on the rails. Given the deterioration in Washington-Beijing ties, it remains to be seen if Islamabad can manage the same. While Pakistan, like many other countries, has said that it does not want to be pushed into making any choices, it remains to be seen whether this will be possible in the changing geopolitical landscape.

Tightrope for Pakistan with USA and China

Politics World

21 May 2022 Tridivesh Singh Maini

Blinken-Zardari Meet: A Tightrope for Pakistan with USA and China

During the May 18 meeting, both Blinken and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari focused on strengthening not just US-Pakistan security ties but also economic linkages. The US could nudge IMF towards imposing less stringent conditionalities on Pakistan in order to prevent political instability. The US remains an important destination for Pakistani exports and this is one of the reasons why the business community in Pakistan, along with the Pakistan army as well as the political class, was not particularly comfortable with former PM Imran Khan’s rhetoric against the West, in general, and the US, in particular. There is a growing realization in Pakistan that while ties with Beijing may be important, it can not afford to allow relations with the US to deteriorate any further.

Political Turmoil and Strained Ties with the West: A Double Whammy for Pakistan’s Economy

Apart from Pakistan’s army and opposition political outfits, the business lobbies in Pakistan have been flagging the point that strained ties with the US and the EU will have an adverse impact on Pakistan’s economy. While the Pakistan Army Chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, had alluded to the importance of Pakistan’s ties with the US in his address on April 2, 2022, Pakistan’s business has expressed its apprehensions with regard to the current political situation and the potential souring of ties with the West, in general, and the US, in particular. The current economic crisis in Sri Lanka also underscores the pitfalls of being excessively dependent upon China and the need for an astute foreign policy.