Author: Shakeel Akhtar

Imagine a person walking on a tightrope, carefully watching both sides, aware that even a small loss of balance could have serious consequences. That image, to me, reflects something of Pakistan’s position today. Pakistan operates in a difficult environment, surrounded by competing interests, regional pressures, internal challenges, and narratives that often pull public opinion in different directions. The challenge is not simply to choose one side and reject the other. It is to maintain balance, understand the realities around us, and move forward without losing sight of the country’s long-term interests. That is why I believe Pakistan’s stability matters. To…

A Personal Reflection on Pakistan and Sudan Some friendships quietly become part of one’s life until they feel like family. Ours is one such friendship. Since 2005, our families have known one another in Norway. Our children grew up together at Oslo International School, sharing classrooms, birthdays, celebrations, and the ordinary moments that often build extraordinary bonds. Over the years, we have come to know each other not merely as friends but as one extended family. Last week, it was our privilege to host them once again. Our dear friend, Dr. Majduline El Haj El Tahir, comes from a distinguished…

Understanding the Technologies, Doctrines, and Disruptors That Will Shape Tomorrow’s Battlefield Across generations, every generation has believed that it understood the nature of war-until the next conflict demonstrated otherwise. From the longbow to gunpowder, from mechanized warfare to nuclear deterrence, each technological revolution has altered the character of conflict and forced military institutions to rethink doctrine, organization, leadership, and strategy. The twenty-first century is proving no different. Yet the pace and scale of today’s transformation are without precedent. The global security environment is being reshaped by political competition, rapid technological innovation, cyber operations, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, commercial satellite constellations,…

Beyond the Asian Century: Why the Future Is Interdependent A World at a Turning Point For much of the past decade, one phrase has dominated discussions of geopolitics: “The Future Is Asian.” It reflects the remarkable economic growth, technological advancement, demographic weight, and expanding influence of Asia. Manufacturing has shifted eastward, supply chains increasingly depend upon Asian economies, innovation is flourishing across the continent, and Asia has become central to global commerce, finance, and technology. The deeper reality, however, is not that one civilization is replacing another. The defining story of the twenty-first century is that humanity is becoming more…

There are defining moments in human civilization that transcend generations and nations, becoming part of humanity’s enduring moral memory. Karbala is one such moment. To reduce Karbala to a battle between two armies is to overlook its deeper significance. It was a profound test of leadership, conscience, legitimacy, and moral resolve. It reminds us that power alone cannot define legitimacy and that the principles upheld in moments of trial often outlive the might of empires. Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) did not command the institutions of state. The established political order possessed the machinery of government, military organization, intelligence, and administrative…

Pakistan: A Torchbearer Through the Turbulence Whenever we encounter something truly beautiful, we are witnessing more than beauty alone. It may be a landscape illuminated by the first light of dawn, a mother comforting her child, a teacher sharing knowledge, or a person whose character reflects dignity and compassion. Behind every enduring form of beauty lies something deeper: wisdom. Wisdom inspires humanity to create rather than destroy, to understand rather than condemn, and to build rather than break. Human beings possess a remarkable power. Through their thoughts, choices, and actions, they can transform life into a place of harmony and…

Islamabad and the Renaissance of Global Diplomacy Imagine a world where tomorrow any nation is asked to bring peace between two powerful rivals -whether it is Russia and Ukraine, or any other divided front. In such moments, success does not come from distraction or power alone. It comes from the quiet discipline of patience, structured understanding, and what can be called the art of the accord -the ability to hold opposing realities together until a workable path forward emerges, beyond distraction and political turbulence. Congratulations to Islamabad and its diplomatic team for contributing to a renewed phase of engagement in…

Out of every storm, a new Pakistan has emerged. Not a perfect Pakistan. Not a Pakistan free of challenges. But a Pakistan that has repeatedly defied the calculations of those who predicted its collapse. The negative thinkers built their arguments on incremental decline. They measured Pakistan through temporary setbacks, political noise, economic fluctuations, and manufactured crises. They saw only the dust of the battlefield and mistook it for the end of the journey. They were wrong. What they failed to understand was that Pakistan is not merely a state; it is an idea continuously refined by adversity. Every mine laid…

Institutional Reality of International Engagement International engagement operates through layers of continuity that extend beyond formal agreements. Governments sign documents, institutions establish frameworks, and diplomats create channels of communication. The durability of relationships, however, depends upon something deeper: the ability of engagement to survive changing administrations, shifting priorities, and evolving political circumstances. The contemporary international environment moves at extraordinary speed. Narratives rise and disappear within days. Political attention shifts rapidly. Strategic priorities are frequently recalibrated. Under such conditions, continuity becomes a strategic resource rather than a procedural preference. Relationships that endure acquire a value that cannot be replicated through temporary…

The Oslo–Islamabad Seminar held on 28 May provided an important platform for dialogue between institutions, policymakers, community leaders, and stakeholders committed to strengthening the relationship between Pakistan and Norway. Representing Pakistan on this occasion were Ambassador Sadia Altaf Qazi, Deputy Head of Mission Saleem Khan, and Counsellor Muhammad Faraz, whose participation reflected Pakistan’s commitment to constructive engagement and international cooperation. As a participant in the seminar, I had the opportunity to observe the proceedings closely and to engage with discussions that touched upon diplomacy, governance, social cohesion, and the evolving role of diaspora communities in strengthening relations between states. Conducted…