About: Pakistan
Pakistan, democracy and the demise of the independent press
Pakistan's new military-supported government is targeting independent media and poses a grave threat to the country's democracy, writes Shada Islam.
Geert Wilders wins, Muslims lose in latest Prophet Mohammed cartoon furore
Geert Wilders is back in the headlines, thanks to a controversial Prophet Mohammed cartoon competition, which has caused a furore in Pakistan. But the race for Europe's toughest anti-Muslim politician has several other contestants, writes Shada Islam.
Are geopolitics, trade and human rights compatible enemies?
Europe cannot turn a blind eye to the Human Rights abuses occurring in third countries, unless we rewrite the mandates of the functioning of the EU institutions and the Treaty, writes MEP Tomáš Zdechovský.
Pakistan’s counter-terrorism needs to be aligned with EU
If the EU wishes to defend human rights, and comply with its own counter-terrorism pledges, Pakistan’s incoherent counter-terrorism strategies should be at the top of every joint commission and negotiation, writes Charles Tannock.
Is the EU abandoning freedom of speech in its trade deals?
The EU has in recent years used trade agreements as a venue for promoting human rights, notably freedom of speech. Yet, as trade negotiators seek to wrap up the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), the EU seems to have abandoned this objective, write Jodie Ginsberg and Christian Borggreen.
Polio: the disease Nigeria can’t seem to shake
Ridding the world of polio is going to take a little longer than originally expected, writes Stratfor, the Texas-based global intelligence company.
The EU must hold Pakistan to account for violence against women
Honour killings and domestic violence are constant worries for the women of Pakistan. The EU must use its influence to push the deep change Pakistani society desperately needs, writes Barbara Matera.
Towards compassion and a ‘compact’ on refugees
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon appeals to European leaders meeting in Brussels today (28 June) to contribute for a new Global Compact on Responsibility-sharing for Refugees, as well as a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
EU should lead the final push to eradicate polio
A polio-free world is within reach. With continued support and funding, the EU can help wipe out this devastating disease, writes Stefan Rebmann.
Europe can do more to safeguard religious minorities
The suicide bombings on Easter Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan, should act as a reminder that the European Union needs a high-level office in charge of freedom of religion and belief in the world, writes Sophia Kuby.
Education is the key to development and stability
The EU needs to reach out to civil society in South Asia and make sure its efforts to support education in the region do not go astray, writes Ana Maria Gomez.
Pakistan invests in nuclear weapons instead of its citizens
The EU should use its diplomatic strength to encourage Pakistan to halt its nuclear build-up, for the good of its own citizens and the peace and stability of the region, writes Barbara Matera.
Education under attack in Pakistan
The EU should use its development and security programmes in Pakistan to ensure children have safe access to education and keep them out of the hands of extremists, writes Marie Arena.
Baluchistan: A reality we cannot ignore
Europe shouldn't remain silent about the atrocities taking place in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, writes MEP Charles Tannock.
Fistula is continuing to destroy lives in the developing world
The EU can play a major role in ending the devastation of fistula for many of the world’s most marginalised women and girls, writes Hilde Vautmans.
Principles in the firing line? The EU and the death penalty
Inserting counter-terrorism into European Union foreign policy could undermine the EU's stance against the death penalty, warns Iverna McGowan.
Europe and Pakistan: Neither autocracy or theocracy
Whether the Taliban reasserts control within its borders and across them, what happens in Pakistan really matters to Europe and the rest of the world, writes Richard Howitt.
Achieving the extraordinary: A world without polio
?It would be naïve to feel safe from the threat polio virus poses to children everywhere. Critical action is needed by European leaders now to protect the world from this threat and realise the promise of global eradication, writes Geeta Rao Gupta, John Hewko and Bruce Aylward.