Z H Softs

US and Taiwan Begin Formal Negotiations on Trade Initiative

First round set to take place ‘early this fall,’ USTR says Details come after Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei this month BEIJING — The United States and Taiwan said they are set to begin formal trade negotiations, as Washington shows its support for the island democracy facing Beijing’s ire for hosting high-ranking U.S. congressional delegations.…
Israel and Turkey Resume Full Diplomatic Ties After a Long Rift

Ambassadors will be installed for first time since 2018 Announcement follows visits by top officials this year Israel and Turkey agreed to resume full diplomatic ties, seeking to draw a line under a years-long period of tensions that spilled into regional security, energy and trade. Ambassadors will be installed for the first time since 2018,…
Pakistan-U.S. War on Terrorism: M A Hafeez

Outline Introduction Historical Perspective The First Engagement The Second Engagement The Problem of Sanctions Pakistan and War on Terrorism Challenges for Musharraf’s Pakistan Regional Security Environment Domestic Order Challenges for United States Anti-Americanism Policy Recommendation for Pakistan Policy Recommendation for U.S. India and Pakistan Institution Building Educational Reforms Political Islam Economic and Security Assistance and…
18 August 2022: Never-ending scourge

POLIO eradication efforts in the country appear to have suddenly taken a giant leap backwards. A day after vaccination campaigns kicked off in Sindh and six high-risk districts of KP, two policemen guarding polio workers were attacked and killed by unknown assailants in Tank district on Tuesday. Though the attackers appear to have spared the…
18 August 2022 : : The fall guy

WITH one camp in the PML-N repeatedly undermining the party’s own government, it is no wonder that economic and political stability has been so hard to come by. Maryam Nawaz’s public distancing from Finance Minister Miftah Ismail over the recent fuel price hike, and her assertion that her father had stormed out of a meeting…
18 August 2022 : Frozen Afghan funds

WITH Afghanistan facing a humanitarian catastrophe and economic collapse, the American decision to not release $3.5bn of Afghan funds to the Taliban-controlled central bank can only be described as heartless. While it is unknown how the decision will impact the financial status of the hard-line group that rules Afghanistan, it will certainly spell more doom…
06 August 2022: Economic restructuring

EVER SINCE he was given the toughest possible task of removing Pakistan from the path of economic collapse, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has had to walk a tightrope. Nearly four months later, he can take credit for staving off the danger of default — at least for now — by avoiding the potholes. In return,…
Current Affair: Dron Attack

Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri killed in US drone strike US President Joe Biden says ‘justice has been delivered’ after al-Qaeda leader located and killed in Kabul, Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has been killed in a CIA drone strike in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, United States President Joe Biden has said. Al-Zawahiri was killed on Sunday…
04 August 2022: Unnecessary visit

CONSIDERING the combustible state of Sino-American relations, it was hoped that US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would put off her visit to Taiwan. However, the seasoned American politician chose optics over rationality, landing on the island on Tuesday and meeting the Taiwanese president a day later before jetting out of Taipei to complete her Asian…
04 August 2022: Improving fundamentals

DRIVEN mainly by a drastic reduction in the import bill, the sharp month-on-month decline of 47.8pc in July’s burgeoning trade deficit appears to have cheered up the country’s gloomy currency and stock markets. The home currency recorded its highest single-day gain of 4.2pc since 1999 as the rupee strengthened to 228.8 to a dollar in…