THE ROVING EYE : Beijing plays Pipelineistan, Halwaphobia, The SC hiccups

THE ROVING EYE : Beijing plays Pipelineistan - China may also count on a South Asia option. China spent $200 million on the first phase of construction of the deepwater port of Gwadar in Balochistan. It wanted - and it got from Islamabad - "sovereign guarantees to the port's facilities". Gwadar is only 400km from Hormuz. From Gwadar, China can easily monitor traffic in the strait. But Gwadar is infinitely more crucial as the pivot of the virtual Pipelineistan war between TAPI and IPI. TAPI is the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline, which will never be built as long as a US/NATO foreign occupation is fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. IPI is the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, also known as the “peace pipeline” (TAPI would be the "war pipeline" then?). Iran and Pakistan have already agreed to build it, much to Washington's distress.

China resets Central Asian engagement

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The Award for Nonexcellance in Climate Journalism Goes To ...

Power getting to him? Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to provide the whole record of TV talk shows on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in the aftermath of December 16, 2009 apex court verdict.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday advised the government to consider appointment of eunuchs for the recovery of loans from defaulters.A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was hearing a petition of Dr Aslam Khaki.