Economic Corridor proves ‘Game Changer’ for Pakistan
In April 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Islamabad, where he unveiled a $46 billion infrastructure spending blueprint for Pakistan under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), to serve as a linchpin of Beijing’s drive to open new trade and transport routes across Asia and challenge the U.S. as the dominant regional power. It all […]
Bollywood and India
Bollywood is like an insignia of India. Whether they like them or not, everyone knows about Bollywood films – replete with melodrama, song, and dance. Facebook posts show strange Bollywood connections. A new Spanish bride dancing to a Bollywood song on a street. German girls doing a Bollywood number on stage. Today, young men and […]
Women in political leadership: Bangladesh a unique model
Bangladesh has become a unique example of women leadership in politics. One may not find such record in other countries in the globe since women were given political rights to vote and stand in elections more than 100 years ago. Bangladesh has been run by two women political leaders: Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia for […]
Trump and Asia
Bernard Rowan – The Korea Times I didn’t think Trump had a chance. His campaign rhetoric didn’t reveal much knowledge of global affairs. Beyond the pedestrian, it showed a demagogue hell-bent on thumping illegal immigrants and socking it to convenient enemies. However, Trump did win, and he’ll soon raise the hand as the next American […]
Images back to 1917 from 2017
Lee Sun-ho / The Korea Times At the dawn of the year 2017 it is intriguing to look back on the last century of human history to see how things have progressed since 1917, a typical common year of the snake, in contrast to 2017, the year of the rooster (the Lunar calendar again). In […]
Pakistan-India Relations
Ambassador Hasan Habib – The Korea Times While the country was divided by political choice, some princely states were given the option to join either Pakistan or India. These included Kashmir, Hyderabad (Dakhan), and Junagadh. India occupied the Junagadh State by force despite its rulers’ desire to join Pakistan. Similarly, India annexed Hyderabad. The Hindu […]
Demonetisation of Currency in India
Last year, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi gave an unscheduled live televised address to the nation on November 8 at 8.15 pm. He suddenly announced that high denomination currency notes, all of 86% currency in current circulation, will no longer be legal tenders after midnight. The political circles and media went into a spin. […]
Constitutional Monarchy’s Duet with Parliamentary Democracy
The Sultan of Kelantan, Sultan Muhammad V, 47, is now the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) and will serve for a five year term under the country’s unique rotational monarchy system. The announcement was made by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Datuk Seri Syed Danial Syed Ahmad in a statement on October […]
To Be or Not to Be a President!
In every continent, there was a certain time when one country – at least – was facing a presidential crisis. Actually, 2016 showed us that we need to redefine the process to elect a person for presidency, then ask him / or her, to step down. Asia was not an exception. To begin, look at […]
Development in Korea, India
Ranjit Kumar Dhawan – The Korea Times November 14 of this year marked the hundredth birthday of an iconic Korean leader, Park Chung-hee. Although Park has been criticized for being authoritarian and conservative, it was under his leadership that Korea witnessed rapid economic transformation. It was largely due to the efforts of this man that […]