That the US is testing the water and forcing the issue of the drone attacks is apparent. For several weeks through the campaign for the parliamentary election in Pakistan, Washington suspended the drone attack. Now a pattern is emerging. No sooner than the election results came out signalling the victory by Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N), the interlude was broken with a drone attack on May 29. The attack was “fruitful” insofar as it resulted in the killing of the Pakistani Taliban’s deputy head Wali-ur Rehman. Rehman’s death constituted a huge blow to the militants and both Washington and Islamabad had reason to be satisfied. In...

Pakistan has never been a quiet place. The situation in this Asian country is always strained to the limit. Various protests that often end in bloodshed often occur in Islamabad. Now the country is faced with another such situation that could end in a military conflict or uprising. Several days ago mass protests took place in Islamabad. Forty thousand people came out to the central avenue of the Pakistani capital. They blocked traffic, waving banners and shouting anti-government slogans. Participants of the “March of Millions” accused the security forces of killing those who disagree with the course of the authorities. The...