UAE Projects in KPK, Tribal Areas Welcomed
Syed Fakhar KaKaKhel
There were times when Arabs were often criticized by progressive Pashtun circles in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas for supporting only the traditional religious mind set in the region. But much has changed right now about that perception. Right now there are dozens of projects related to health, education and water supply both completed and ongoing which had a remarkable impact on local population from every school of thought. All these projects are funded by United Arab Emirates with the help of Pak Army.

 Farouk Chothia
No-one – that is the problem. There are lots of different armed groups – up to 1,700 – with many different goals. But money and power is a common denominator. During the uprising, anyone with a gun could command respect and some do not want that to change. Instead, they seem more determined than ever to gain more territory and impose their will. They are also ideologically divided – some of them are Islamists, others are secessionists and yet others are liberals. Furthermore, the militias are split along ethnic and regional lines, making it a combustible mix. Some fear Libya could descend into civil war.

Imtiaz Gul
An international conference at Oxford University on May 10 looked at the possible opportunities that may arise out of the multiple crises that Pakistan currently faces. During proceedings and presentations, the 27 speakers — including those from Pakistan, the US, Germany, Canada and the UK — dilated on the security, economy, sociology and foreign relations of Pakistan. Much of the talk centred around the crisis of governance, insecurity, energy issues, ethnic and nationalistic conflicts and Pakistan’s policy discord with India, the US and its skewed policy towards Afghanistan. Ironically, even relatively optimistic speakers predicated their projections on several ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’.