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Articles by Zahid Hussain


Pakistani award-winning journalist and writer Zahid Hussain is a senior editor with Newsline and a correspondent for The Times of London, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. He has also covered Pakistan and Afghanistan for several other international publications, including the Associated Press (AP) and The Economist. His book Frontline Pakistan: The Struggle With Militant Islam has won widespread acclaim as a seminal text on the subject.

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[28 Feb 2011 | One Comment | Zahid Hussain]
The Ideological Divide

Will Jinnah’s vision of a democratic Pakistan prevail over Zia’s vision of a theocratic Pakistan?

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[27 Jan 2011 | 7 Comments | Zahid Hussain]
Flawed Strategy

Can drone attacks really help the US win the war against Al-Qaeda?

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[17 Dec 2009 | One Comment | Zahid Hussain]
A Confrontation with Haqqani is Bad?

Will widening the military offensive in Pakistan to include the Haqqani network in North Waziristan imperil the fragile domestic consensus on fighting militancy?

Blog Row, Zahid Hussain »

[17 Dec 2009 | 2 Comments | Zahid Hussain]
Zardari Has “No Moral Authority”

The Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down the NRO has increased pressure on Zardari to step down and face corruption and criminal charges. The judgment has weakened the president and could open the way for a challenge to the legitimacy of his election.

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[18 Nov 2009 | 6 Comments | Zahid Hussain]
General Sympathy: Aiding the Taliban

Several former army soldiers are either fighting in Afghanistan or training Taliban forces and formulating strategies to counter the war on terror.

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[16 Oct 2009 | One Comment | Zahid Hussain]
The Taliban-Quetta Link

Afghans have flooded Quetta. And the Taliban are among them. In fact, seminaries from where the Taliban forces were once nurtured have become the centre for producing a new generation of Islamic warriors.

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[29 Sep 2009 | 3 Comments | Zahid Hussain]
Conditional Love: The Kerry-Lugar Bill

Accepting the conditional aid of the Kerry-Lugar Bill would give the US administration a free hand in determining what policies Pakistan should pursue. The bill is a recipe for disaster and would further widen the gulf between the so-called allies, says Zahid Hussain. It would lead to a master-and-client relationship, completely compromising Pakistan’s political sovereignty.

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[12 Sep 2009 | Comments Off | Zahid Hussain]
Another Blow to the Pakistani Taliban

The Pakistani army has dealt another blow to the Taliban. The arrest of Muslim Khan is a major breakthrough in Pakistan’s battle against Al-Qaeda-backed militants, says Zahid Hussain, for Muslim Khan is more than a public relations man.

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[8 Aug 2009 | One Comment | Zahid Hussain]

Zahid Hussain meets some potential suicide bombers who were captured during the army operation in Swat.

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[30 Apr 2009 | Comments Off | Zahid Hussain]
The Fruits of Appeasement

The peace deal in Swat appears to tacitly endorse the Taliban’s brutalities. The government and the military have surrendered the valley to the militants, who are responsible for the killing of hundreds of people. The flogging of a 17-year-old girl, which took place in Kabal district in January and surfaced only recently, is a stark reminder of where Pakistan is heading if the growing threat of Islamic extremism is not checked.