Farooq Sulehria teaches at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore.
The areas of Kashmir under Pakistani administration are supposed to have political autonomy, but that has long been a sham. The Pakistani authorities have responded to popular protests demanding real democracy with brutal repression.
The governments of India and Pakistan pulled back from the brink over Kashmir because neither can afford a full-scale war. Bellicose rhetoric and a climate of strident nationalism have helped both governments as they face problems on the domestic front.
When President Trump scuttled talks for a peace deal in Afghanistan, liberal media heaved a sigh of relief. But despite the risks, an end to the US occupation is a precondition for peace in the country.
The ouster of Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif is yet another example of the judiciary's selectiveness and the military's undue influence.