Dr Farrukh Saleem
Dr Farrukh Saleem

The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad.

  • November 18, 2025

    Comment: Egypt or South Korea?

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and COAS Field Marshal Asim Munir review a passing out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy Kakul, in Abbottabad...

  • November 16, 2025

    Myth vs reality

    This undated image shows armed forces soldiers march past during Pakistan Day military parade in Islamabad. — AFPMyth number 1: Article 243 equals...

  • November 15, 2025

    Comment: Cautious optimism

    Lawmakers attend NA session on November 12, 2025. — Facebook@NationalAssemblyOfPakistanISLAMABAD: Reform never looks neat midstream. Despite...

  • November 13, 2025

    Comment: What’s wrong with the 27th Amendment?

    Members of Pakistan’s lower house of parliament attend the National Assembly meeting in Islamabad on March 1, 2024. — X/@NAofPakistanThe 27th...

  • November 11, 2025

    [Comment] Supreme Court: myth vs reality

    Supreme Court building. —SC website/FileMyth: The 27th Amendment is an ‘obituary of the Supreme Court’. Reality: An institution is not...

  • November 10, 2025

    Article 243: Sharper sword, stronger shield?

    An inside view of a session of the Senate. — APP/FileThe questions are simple. Question 1: Will the amended Article 243 make Pakistan a harder...

  • November 09, 2025

    Article 243

    An inside view of a session of the Senate. — APP/FilePakistan’s civil–military coordination remains fragmented. In Swat , the military cleared...

  • November 05, 2025

    Comment: Will the 27th Amendment deliver for citizens?

    The image shows a copy of The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan held in front of a street sign for Constitution Avenue in Islamabad....

  • November 04, 2025

    COMMENT: Our $50bn opportunity

    A drone view of damaged buildings, including the mental health hospital, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, October 27, 2025....

  • November 02, 2025

    Diplomatic peak

    The representational image shows a man waving the Pakistani flag. — AFP/FilePakistan is reaching diplomatic heights unseen in its 78-year history....

  • November 01, 2025

    Comment: From bystander to ‘protector of Palestinians’?

    Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City, October 16, 2025. — ReutersOn...

  • October 29, 2025

    Comment: Jirgamar — the negotiator-warrior

    The Taliban delegation's visit comes ahead of the much-delayed intra-Afghan peace talks. —  Reuters/FileIn the Afghan mind, negotiation is war by...

  • October 28, 2025

    Comment: War over rare earths

    A representational image of Rare Earth Minerals. —TheNews/FileA strategic contest is underway among major global powers including China, the...

  • October 26, 2025

    Military metal

    A view looking down into the Yellow Pine antimony-gold deposit in Idaho. — Reuters/File Antimony is the new gold. The US Department of Defense ...

  • October 23, 2025

    603 days of Punjab government

    Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attends an event in this image released on June 4, 2024. — Facebook/Maryam Nawaz SharifISLAMABAD: Maryam Nawaz...

  • October 21, 2025

    Comment: Pakistan’s shift to decisive action

    The representational image shows the Pakistan Army soldiers busy in an operation. — ISPR/FileState clarity is emerging. Over recent months, the...

  • October 19, 2025

    Geology into cash

    The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, US, on March 3, 2022. — ReutersThis year’s ceiling for the US Department of Defense stands at...

  • October 18, 2025

    Comment: Converting $500m FWO–USSM MoU into cash flow

    The representational image shows a collected of earth minerals. — Unsplash/FileOn September 8, the Frontier Works Organisation and U.S. Strategic...

  • October 16, 2025

    Comment: Gold and bitcoin

    Representation of Bitcoin coin cryptocurrency is seen in this illustration taken September 10, 2025. — ReutersAround 4700 BCE, approximately 6,725...

  • October 13, 2025

    Pakistani rocks into magnets and magnets into dollars

    The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, US, on March 3, 2022. — ReutersThe White House has ordered “immediate measures” to boost...

  • October 12, 2025

    Trump magnet park

    A worker miniature is placed near the elements of Gallium and Germanium on a periodic table, in this illustration picture taken on July 6, 2023. —...

  • October 05, 2025

    Nobel for Trump?

    US President Donald Trump attends a press conference with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers at the conclusion of a state visit on...

  • October 05, 2025

    Comment: P&G ‘winding down’ in Pakistan — what does it mean?

    P&G logo can be seen on their building. —P&G website/FileTo be certain, it is not a full exit from the 240-million Pakistani consumer market but a...

  • September 28, 2025

    GCC’s defence

    Flags of GCC countries can be seen. —TheNews/FileThe Gulf Cooperation Council comprises six member states: Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United...

  • September 21, 2025

    Defence pact

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Yamama Palace, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on September 17, 2025. — X/...

  • September 14, 2025

    Power for progress

    Vehicles of the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers patrolling the Shimla Pahari chowk area during a flag march in Lahore on May 14, 2023. —...

  • September 01, 2025

    Comment: Rethinking the NFC Award — debt & defence

    A person can be seen holding Pakistani currency notes in his hands. — AFP/FileISLAMABAD: There is no shortage of voices calling for new provinces....

  • August 31, 2025

    Democracy’s circus

    US President Donald Trump.— Reuters/FileAmerica, the world’s richest democracy, produced Donald Trump. India, the world’s biggest democracy,...

  • August 24, 2025

    Ethereum

    A representational image of cryptocurrency Ethereum is seen in front of a stock graph and US dollar in this illustration taken, January 24, 2022....

  • August 17, 2025

    $50bn blunder?

    A power generation plant in Pakistan. — AFP/FileIn an ambitious bid to address chronic power shortages, Pakistan embarked on a large-scale...

  • August 10, 2025

    Check and balance

    Parliament House in Islamabad. — Radio Pakistan/FileSeparation of powers is a principle that divides a government into three distinct branches,...

  • August 03, 2025

    Oil and gas

    Working oil pumpjacks are pictured on the outskirts of Taft, Kern County, California on September 21, 2023. — AFPHow much oil does Pakistan really...

  • July 31, 2025

    Crypto diplomacy

    A visual representation of the digital cryptocurrency Bitcoin. — AFP/FileCrypto diplomacy is the strategic use of cryptocurrency and blockchain...

  • July 28, 2025

    CJP Afridi’s reform blueprint

    An undated image of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi. — supremecourt.gov.pk/FileChief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi has...

  • July 27, 2025

    Silent theft

    The image shows a thief trying to steal a car. — Spireon/FileUnder the Pakistan Penal Code of 1860, theft is defined in Section 378 as follows:...

  • July 20, 2025

    Reverse Robin Hood

    The undated image shows a labourer carrying a sack of refined sugar. —APP/FileRobin Hood, the legendary outlaw who stole from the rich and gave...

  • July 18, 2025

    Fear doesn’t fill coffers: global lessons for FBR

    Traders, shopkeepers, and residents block roads and burn tyres and bushes during a protest against electricity loadshedding in Karachi, on May 27,...

  • July 16, 2025

    The Rs600bn sugar rip-off

    A person can be seen putting sugar in a plastic shopping bag while packing. — AFP/FileAs of July 2025, the international price of sugar is...

  • July 13, 2025

    Cost-to-kill

    A view shows the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine May 4, 2025. — ReutersFor the first time in...

  • July 09, 2025

    $23 billion loss — who’s responsible?

    This image shows Gojra Filling Station on Jhang Road Gojra Near M4 Interchange released on May 30, 2018. — Facebook@SharifPetroleumOn February...

  • July 09, 2025

    $23 billion loss — who’s responsible?

    This image shows Gojra Filling Station on Jhang Road Gojra Near M4 Interchange released on May 30, 2018. — Facebook@SharifPetroleumOn February...

  • July 06, 2025

    Bitcoin

    A representation of virtual currency Bitcoin is seen in front of a stock graph in this image taken on November 19, 2020. — ReutersWho’s...

  • July 06, 2025

    Bitcoin

    A representation of virtual currency Bitcoin is seen in front of a stock graph in this image taken on November 19, 2020. — ReutersWho’s...

  • July 05, 2025

    Shared peace

    Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani and United Arab Emirates ...

  • July 05, 2025

    Shared peace

    Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani and United Arab Emirates ...

  • July 05, 2025

    Shared peace

    Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani and United Arab Emirates ...

  • July 05, 2025

    Shared peace

    Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump, Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani and United Arab Emirates ...

  • July 03, 2025

    Comment: Rs100 billion loss: who miscalculated LNG demand?

    A representational image showing an aerial view of an LNG carrying ship at sea. — AFP/FileOn February 10, 2016, Pakistan State Oil signed...

  • July 03, 2025

    Comment: Rs100 billion loss: who miscalculated LNG demand?

    A representational image showing an aerial view of an LNG carrying ship at sea. — AFP/FileOn February 10, 2016, Pakistan State Oil signed...