Pakistan: Security Challenges and the Hard State Dilemma

Pakistan’s security situation has long evolved as a consequence of the complex intersection of multiple factors, including geopolitical dilemmas, internal dissension, and history. The recently suggested notion of Pakistan being a hard state—one that prioritises security over other aspects of governance and socio-economic development—is being widely debated in drawing rooms, a select few editorials and op-eds, and YouTube vlogs.
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Politicisation of Pakistan’s Civil Awards: Honor or Political Gimmick?

The conferral of civil awards in Pakistan has always been a subject of debate, but the investiture ceremony held on March 23, 2025, under President Asif Ali Zardari has sparked particularly intense discussions. This year, the inclusion of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB), as a posthumous recipient of the Nishan-e-Pakistan, has led to accusations of political favoritism, while the recognition of certain journalists has further ignited controversy.
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The Digital Arms Race and the New Cold War 4

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing (QC) are at the center of the strategic competition between the United States and China, shaping military capabilities, economic dominance, and techno-geopolitical influence in ways that will define the future of global power structures. This competition is not merely about technological progress but rather a battle for supremacy in national security, economic leadership, and military superiority.
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Russian-Ukraine War

The Russo-Ukrainian War completed a decade in February 2024. The war started when, following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported pro-Russian separatists who began fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas region. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and occupied more Ukrainian territory.
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