Texter’s thumb warning signs

By Zahid Karim It is true that terrorism remains one of the most serious national security challenges of Pakistan. It has blighted the plant of peace, progress and prosperity. Although, time and again efforts have been made to eradicate this cancerous evil, it has deeply embedded ideological, political, and socio-economic roots in the society. It has not only weakened the socio-economic fabric of the society but also tarnished the image of the country across the globe.  At the moment, Pakistan is experiencing a resurgence of terrorism, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. There is no place or aspect of life where terrorism and extremis has not shown its ugly face. No one is safe either in office or home from militants, extremists and terrorist. It is evident from the recent deadly attack on rangers installation in Karachi. Before it, a suicide car bomb targeted a passenger train transporting military personnel and their families at Chaman Phatak station in Quetta, killing at least 24 people and injuring over 50 others. Besides, the suicide bomb attack at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area of Islamabad killed at least 31 people and injured 169 others. In fact, the widespread, coordinated terrorist atrocities across the province of Baluchistan including Quetta, Gwadar, Mastung, and Nushki, resulting in significant casualties. Sadly, the car bombing at Mir Ali Area of North Waziristan which led to the loss of some 13 soldiers and 3 civilians added further fuel to the fire. Similarly, the bold daylight attack of Sorab, Baluchistan, Khuzdar school bus suicide and fatal hijacking of Jafar Express reveal the helplessness and haplessness of the security agencies of the country. Interestingly, many security operations have been carried out but their gains are not so encouraging. Indeed, the lasting peace requires more than military might. It needs social justice, education, economic development, and strong institutions.  As a matter of fact, without paving the way for political stability, economic prosperity, social justice and religious harmony, sustainable peace remains only a daydream. It requires social healing, reconciliation, and national unity. It is not just military operations, airstrikes, and crackdowns that can resolve the daunting issue. Of course, the root causes are deeply entrenched in social, economic, ideological, and political structures, not merely in armed insurgency. These may include poverty and unemployment, illiteracy and radical education, social injustice and political exclusion and Religious intolerance and sectarianism. Thus, Pakistan needs social reforms—not just military solutions—to effectively eliminate terrorism.  More importantly, military solutions are not alone sustainable and viable. Military action may abolish imminent threats, but it cannot address the root causes. Besides, force is necessary only to dismantle militant networks but long-term stability requires deep social reforms to address the root causes of radicalization. Military operations like Zarb-e-Azb, Rah-e-Rast etc have only degraded militant groups but failed to eradicate them completely.  Education is the foremost remedy to discourage radicalization in the society. Promotion of education infuses tolerance, peace and critical thinking.  It has capacity to augment intellect, widens vision and produces a refined and cultured human being. It equips the poverty-ridden youth to become productive part of the society. In this connection, curricula should be modernized. Besides, madrassas education should be regulated to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies. It is through quality, inclusive, and modern education that radicalism can be discouraged. Furthermore poverty alleviation and provision of economic opportunities is another panacea for extremism and terrorism. Ironically, insufficiency of economic opportunities creates frustration, deprivation, and anxiety among the youth. It makes them vulnerable to fall prey to the extremist and militants for financial incentives. Undoubtedly, investing in economic development, job creation, and vocational training provide them a peaceful path. In addition to this, provision of social justice is another cure to win hearts and minds of the people. Rampant violation of human rights and extra-judicial killings imparts resentment and revenge. An inefficient and corrupt criminal justice system erodes public trust. It leads individuals to seek alternative forms of “justice” to address their unsettled grievances. Thus, sustainable peace can also be achieved through fair, accessible, and efficient justice system and police frameworks.  Moreover, since her inception, Pakistan has been witnessing poor social cohesion and interfaith harmony among its population. It has led them towards violence and terrorist activities to get accepted their different vendettas.  Indeed, national integration and cohesion should also be fostered among the disgruntled sections of the society. Steps that foster dialogue, understanding, and respect among different communities, sects, and religious groups should be taken on war footing basis. In turn, it helps to dismantle the sectarian and ethnic divisions that extremist groups exploit. This builds a stronger national identity that transcends narrow affiliations. Additionally, prolonged military operations also cause political instability and adverse repercussion, especially when tangible improvements in security mechanism are not attained. Since, inception Pakistan has been witnessing widespread political instability. In turn, this phenomenon foments terrorism by creating governance vacuums and weakening of law enforcement apparatus. It allows militant groups to exploit social, economic, and political grievances of the masses. Ironically, frequent regime changes and civil-military discord distract authorities from security. It provides safe havens for groups like the TTP and other so-called terrorist organization. This contaminated environment of political polarization allows extremist groups to fill the void by promoting sectarianism and radicalization, which further destabilizes the state.  Political stability is essential to knock down the terrorism in Pakistan. It provides the foundation for effective governance, the rule of law, economic development, and social cohesion. Political stability allows the state to address the fundamental causes of terrorism, including poverty, inequality, sectarianism and ideological basis of terrorism.  It is also a matter a fact that when the state fails to provide justice, security, or basic services, people may turn to non-state actors. Lack of rule of law, poor governance, unbridled corruption, has added fuel to the fire. Strengthening of rule of law, police reforms, and transparent governance reduce extremism. It has capacity to manage the anger and disillusionment

By Absara Kashaf  The international political landscape is undergoing a noticeable transformation. For many years, the United States was widely regarded as the world’s most influential political, economic and military power. However, recent global opinion surveys indicate that public perceptions are changing. Countries around the world are increasingly evaluating global powers not only by their military strength but also by their economic cooperation, development assistance, investment and diplomatic engagement. The Latest Pew Research Center Global Attitudes Survey (july 2026) provides important evidence of this shift. Based on interviews with 42,151 adults across 36 countries, the survey reveals that China now enjoys a more favorable public image than the United States in a majority of the countries included in the study. The findings highlights China’s growing international influence, particularly among developing and middle-income nations. One of the survey’s most significant findings is that China is viewed more favorably than the United States in 30 of the 36 countries surveyed. This represents a remarkable change in global public opinion. While the United States continues to enjoy strong support in few countries, particularly among some of its long-standing allies, China has gained considerable public approval across Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe. This shift suggests that many people now associate China with economic opportunity, infrastructure development, and long-term cooperation rather than viewing it solely as an emerging global competitor. China’s growing popularity is closely linked to its expanding economic partnerships around the world. Over the past two decades, China has invested billions in infrastructure projects, transportation networks, energy development, industrial zones, digital connectivity and trade agreements. Through initiatives such as Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has financed highways, railways, ports, power plants, and industrial zones in numerous developing countries. These projects have contributes to economic growth, employment opportunities and improved connectivity in many regions. As a result, public opinion in several countries increasingly reflects appreciation for China’s contribution to national development. The survey further shows that 69 percent of respondents in 17 middle-income countries consider China to be somewhat or very reliable international partner. This finding is particularly important because middle-income countries often seek foreign investment, technology and infrastructure financing to support their development goals. Many respondents appear to believe that China provides practical economic cooperation without imposing extensive political conditions. Whether this perception fully reflects reality remains a subject of academic debate, but it undoubtedly contributes to China’s improving international image. Another major finding concerns confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the survey, global confidence in Xi Jinping has improved compared to previous years. Across many countries,  larger number of respondents believe that President Xi will make responsible decisions regarding international affairs. Although confidence levels differ from one country to another, the overall trend indicates that China’s leadership is gaining broader international acceptance. Leadership perceptions often influence how countries are viewed internationally, making this finding particularly significant for understanding China’s growing diplomatic influence. Among all the countries surveyed, Pakistan recorded one of the strongest levels of support for China. According to the survey, 90 percent of Pakistanis expressed a favorable opinion of China, while 83 percent reported confidence in President Xi Jinping to do the right things regarding world affairs. These are among the highest approval ratings recorded anywhere in the survey. In contrast, only 15 percent of Pakistanis expressed a favorable opinion of the United States, while confidence in former U.S President Donald Trump stood at just 12 percent. These figures demonstrate the exceptionally positive image that China currently enjoys among the Pakistani public. Several factors help explain Pakistan’s strong support for China. The two countries have maintained close diplomatic and strategic relations for decades, often referring to their friendship as an “all-weather strategic partnership”. In recent years, this relationship has expanded significantly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), one of the flagship projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC includes investments in roads, highways, ports, power generations, industrial zones, and communication infrastructure. Many Pakistanis associate these projects with improved economic opportunities, enhanced connectivity, and future development. Consequently, China’s image among Pakistani Public has become increasingly positive Beyond Pakistan, the survey also suggests that China is increasingly perceived as a contributor to global peace and stability. One notable example is South Africa, where the proportion of respondents who believe China contributes positively to global peace increased from 47 percent in 2023 to 64 percent in 2026. Similar improvements were observed in several other developing countries. China’s active participation in diplomatic negotiations, peacemaking missions, humanitarian assistance, and international development initiatives appears to have strengthened its reputation among many respondents. The survey also explores whether people believe China considers the interest of developing countries when making international policy decisions. Among respondents in the 17 middle-income countries, 57 percent stated that China takes the interests of countries like their own into account. This finding reflects an important aspect of China’s international strategy. Many developing countries view China as a partner that understands their development challenges and provides economic cooperation through investment, trade, infrastructure financing, and technology transfer. Whether this perception continues in the future will depend on China’s policies and long-tern outcomes of its international projects Despite China’s growing popularity, the survey also demonstrates the global opinion remains diverse. Several countries continue to express stronger support for the United States than for the China. These include Japan, India, Philippines, Israel, Poland, and South Korea. Historical alliances, security partnerships, regional geopolitical concerns, and territorial disputes continue to influence public opinions across countries. The findings also illustrated the growing importance if soft power illustrates the growing importance of soft power in international relations. Soft power refers to a country’s ability to influence others through attraction, cooperation, culture, diplomacy and economic engagement rather than military force. China’s engagement in infrastructure, trade, education techonolgy in many developing countries have strengthened its soft power in many developing countries. Public opinion surveys such as Pew’s demonstrate that these efforts are increasingly shaping how ordinary citizens perceive China’s global role. The finding offer important insights

On Friday, I had the opportunity to spend nearly three hours with former Prime Minister and President of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, at his Jati Umra residence in Raiwind. We offered Jumma prayers together, shared lunch and held an extensive discussion on Pakistan’s political landscape. It was more than a courtesy meeting; it provided a rare opportunity to observe, first-hand, the thinking of a leader who remains deeply involved in shaping the direction of his party and closely following the country’s political developments. The meeting came at a significant moment for the PML-N. Following the party’s recent success in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, there is renewed confidence within its ranks. Nawaz Sharif appeared optimistic, composed and fully focused on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. What struck me first was his health and energy. Nawaz Sharif was in excellent spirits, displaying the confidence and composure of a politician who believes his party is firmly back on the front foot. There was no sense of retirement or political detachment. Instead, there was a clear focus on governance, organisation and preparing for the future. The recent PML-N victory in the Azad Kashmir elections has undoubtedly reinforced that confidence. For the party, the result was more than just another electoral success; it was an affirmation that its political message continues to resonate with voters. Nawaz Sharif spoke with satisfaction about the outcome, viewing it as an important milestone in the party’s broader revival. He was equally appreciative of the performance of the Punjab Government under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. In his view, the provincial administration has demonstrated that governance and public service remain the strongest political currency. Whether through infrastructure, public welfare initiatives or administrative reforms, he believes Punjab is once again becoming the party’s showcase of governance. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif also received praise during our conversation. Nawaz Sharif expressed confidence in his younger brother’s efforts to steer Pakistan towards economic stability, strengthen institutions and improve the country’s international standing during a challenging period. His remarks reflected a leadership that sees continuity and coordination within the party as one of its greatest strengths. Perhaps the most significant observation from the meeting was Nawaz Sharif’s continued command of the PML-N. Despite years away from active frontline politics, he remains the party’s central strategic figure. Senior leaders continue to look towards him for direction, while party workers still regard him as the movement’s principal source of political inspiration. Much has been written about Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan and his re-emergence in national politics. Yet spending time with him offered a clearer picture than any public rally or television appearance could provide. He is not merely observing events from the sidelines; he is actively shaping the party’s direction, evaluating political developments and planning for the future. My own conclusion from this meeting is straightforward. Nawaz Sharif remains fully engaged, firmly in command of the PML-N and focused on leading his party into the next general elections whenever they are held. Whether one agrees with his politics or not, it would be a mistake to underestimate his influence or his determination. Pakistan’s political landscape continues to evolve rapidly. But after spending three hours with Nawaz Sharif on Friday, one thing appears certain: he believes his political journey is entering a new phase, not its final chapter, and he intends to remain at the centre of Pakistan’s political discourse for years to come.