Riaz Haq's Blog – July 2008 Archive (6)

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Turkey, Pakistan and Secularism

As the Turkish Supreme Court prepares to decide on a petition to ban AKP, the ruling party in Turkey, is it reasonable to compare the secular zeal in Turkey with the religious zeal in Pakistan? It probably is. However, the situation in Pakistan is the mirror image of that in Turkey. Just as the religious orthodoxy in Pakistan is strong but limited to a small but vocal, radical minority of Pakistanis, it seems that the secular orthodoxy in Turkey is just as powerful but shared by a small,… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 30, 2008 at 8:34am — 2 Comments

Obama's Presidency Poses Danger to the World

While Senator Barack Obama has been benefiting from his opposition to the unpopular war in Iraq and winning kudos for wanting to unconditionally talk with America's enemies, he has also been sounding more and more hawkish on Pakistan, a US ally. This aggressive stance by Mr. Obama raises some big questions: Is he going to end the war in Iraq and start a much bigger, far more dangerous and longer lasting war in nuclear-armed Pakistan? Does he know that Pakistan, a nation of 165 million people… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 25, 2008 at 7:21am — No Comments

Is Democracy Overrated?

"Normally they (Six members of India's Parliament) are in jail, serving time for crimes ranging from extortion and kidnapping to murder. The Indian constitution allows them out on bail to attend important parliamentary votes. But the sight of convicted murderers entering the parliamentary chamber won't be the most edifying of spectacles." So says a BBC report this morning.



In the wake of the Communist Party's pull-out… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 20, 2008 at 11:30am — 9 Comments

What Do the Taliban Want?

News headlines from Pakistan's tribal belt proclaim a new "Peace Deal" with "militants" along with an appeal for the Shia victims of the Kurram agency blockade imposed by the Taliban. On the surface, these two developments seem disconnected.



The News Headlines:

The "Peace Deal" involves a leading militant in Pakistan's Khyber region, Mangal Bagh, and the local administration to end nearly two weeks of fighting, according to the BBC.



Another BBC report indicates that… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 10, 2008 at 3:04pm — 4 Comments

The Smoking Gun in Pakistan Nuke Transfers

In his first public assertions since Pakistan's disgraced hero Dr. A.Q. Khan was put under house, the nuclear scientist has said, "It was a North Korean plane, and the army had complete knowledge about it and the equipment (centrifuges). It must have gone with [Musharraf's] consent."



This marks the first time that Mr. Khan has directly implicated President Musharraf and Pakistan Army in proliferation of Pakistan's nuclear technology.



Mr. Khan's latest statements contradict… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 5, 2008 at 9:33pm — No Comments

Peshawar, Kandahar under Threat of Resurgent Taliban

As the US-led NATO coalition in Afghanistan and the new government in Pakistan find themselves in policy disagreements and total disarray, with Hamid Karzai playing the spoiler, the resurgent Taliban appear to be preparing for the takeover of major cities on both sides of the border: Kandahar in Afghanistan and Peshawar in Pakistan. This is something that would have been considered unthinkable just a few months ago. The concern until recently was focused on the tribal areas of Pakistan. Now the… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 1, 2008 at 7:19am — No Comments

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    Blog Posts

    Which Country is a Bigger Beggar? India or Pakistan?

    Most countries in the world today borrow money from various sources to finance their budget deficits. So do India and Pakistan. So why is it that only Pakistan's borrowing money gets labeled "begging"? Is it not begging when India borrows a lot more money than does Pakistan? Or is it that only borrowing money from the IMF qualifies as "begging"? Let's look into this double standard.  Currently, India's public debt to GDP ratio is 80% while Pakistan's is about 74%. India's private debt to GDP…

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    Posted by Riaz Haq on July 22, 2025 at 6:30pm — 2 Comments

    Pakistani International Students Flocking to European Universities

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    Posted by Riaz Haq on July 15, 2025 at 9:00am

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