General elections in Pakistan: Elections yes, democracy not yet!
THE GENERAL ELECTIONS ON MAY 11 CONSTITUTED THE FIRST ‘REGULAR’ TRANSFER OF POWER BETWEEN TWO CIVILIAN GOVERNMENTS IN PAKISTAN. UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS IS A MILESTONE IN THE COUNTRY’S CHEQUERED POLITICAL HISTORY BY DR. SIEGFRIED O. WOLF
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Taliban and democracy: The unequal equation
ON JUNE 18TH THE THE TALIBAN OPENED A LIAISON OFFICE IN DOHA, THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE STATE OF QATAR, A CLOSE ALLY OF THE US IN THE PERSIAN
GULF REGION by Dr. SIEGFRIED O. WOLF
Bhutan Election 2013: Happiness under stress?
THE IDEA OF MUTUAL CONSULTANCY IN THE POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS NOTHING NEW IN BHUTAN. THE ORIGINS OF IT DATE BACK TO THE OLD CHHOESI SYSTEM, WHICH WAS A DUAL CONCEPT OF GOVERNMENT THAT PREVAILED FROM 1650 TO 1907, COMPRISING A TEMPORAL HEAD (DRUK DESI) AND A RELIGIOUS LEADER...
Imran Khan – A twist in the tale?
With its troubled history and the upcoming first democratic transfer of power, it does not come across as a total surprise that Mr Khan is being portrayed as someone that the Pakistanis and the international community deem fit for preventing the downward spiral of the nation. by Dr. Siegfried...
The burden of history: Political legacies and polarisation
Throughout the country's history, polarisation has hampered political building which, in turn, hindered the democratisation process. by Dr. Siegfried O. Wolf
China’s influence on Pakistan
Several Observers state that chinese activities are reinforcing the manifold of inequalities that already exist between islamabad and the provinces in all spheres of state and society by Dr. Siegfried O. Wolf
Semblance of civilian control? Military, elections and the latest coup conspiracy in Pakistan
GENERALLY, PAKISTAN IS CONSIDERED BY MOST OBSERVERS AS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A PRAETORIAN STATE IN WHICH THE MILITARY PERCEIVES ITSELF AS THE SOLE GUARDIAN OF THE COUNTRY’S NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND MORAL INTEGRITY, THE CHIEF INITIATOR OF THE NATIONAL AGENDA AND THE MAJOR ARBITER OF CONFLICT BETWEEN SOCIAL AND...
Rebel or stakeholder? No need for a Pakistani Tahrir Square for Qadri’s people’s democratic...
By: DR. SIEGFRIED O. WOLF
PAKISTAN’S POLITICAL PARTIES ARE HIGHLY FACTIONALISED AND PERSONALISED ORGANISATIONS IN WHICH LOYALTY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EFFICIENT AGENDA SETTING AND IMPLEMENTATION
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FATA: Between backwater and black-site?
PAKISTAN’S BORDER REGION FATA MARKS AN HISTORICAL BATTLEGROUND. AS SUCH, IT IS NOT
SURPRISING THAT THIS TROUBLED REGION AND ITS PEOPLE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED UNIQUE SOCIAL STRUCTURES.
by: SIEGFRIED O. WOLF
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The Karen of Myanmar:War without end
HOPEFULLY THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS REPRESENT THE REALISATION BY BOTH SIDES THAT PEACE TALKS ARE THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE SEEMINGLY UNENDING INSURGENCY by Paul Chambers