Madiha Afzal Journalist Profile

Articles

In its battle against PTI, Pakistan’s new government exposes its own weakness

Jul 25, 2024 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

On July 15, Pakistan’s government announced plans to ban the country’s main opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and begin proceedings of high treason against its leaders, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The announcement received immediate and widespread pushback, and it is unclear whether the government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, will move forward with the ban, which is unlikely to hold up in the country’s courts.
The impact of Iran's attack on Israel

Apr 15, 2024 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal |Marsin Alshamary |Aslı Aydıntaşbaş |Pavel K. Baev

Brookings scholars offer their insights following Iran’s drone and missile attack against Israel on April 13, 2024. Their responses provide perspectives on the implications for various actors as well as a range of policy issues. Three historic events happened Saturday night. First, the long-simmering Iran-Israel war became an overt and direct military confrontation for one night at least.
Pakistan’s democracy, its military, and America

Apr 3, 2024 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

A flawed election, and the US responsePakistan has a new government in power. The country held a delayed, flawed election on February 8, 2024, marked by a pre-poll crackdown on its most popular political party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), arrests of thousands of PTI members and senior leadership, and knocking the party name and election symbol off the ballot. Election day was marred by internet and cell service shutdowns.
Pakistan’s surprising and marred 2024 election, and what comes next

Feb 29, 2024 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

Pakistan’s 2024 election, held on February 8 after two years of political turmoil and a months-long delay, was both marred and hopeful. Here’s what to know about the run-up to the election, election day, and where the country stands now. Before election day: Pre-poll manipulationThis election had been expected to yield a clear winner: former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had returned from four years of exile in London last October.
What to know about Pakistan’s turbulent national elections

Feb 5, 2024 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal |Fred Dews

This week, Pakistan holds national elections. Voters in the world’s fifth most populous nation go to the polls to elect representatives to Pakistan’s parliament, and from that, the next prime minister.
Ahead of elections, Pakistan’s democracy stands badly damaged

Dec 8, 2023 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

In the run-up to Pakistan’s general elections next February, a familiar pattern is repeating itself. Ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan sits in jail with 180 legal cases registered against him. Former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has returned from exile with the military’s backing, despite having been convicted and disqualified from running for office for life just a few years ago.
Evaluation of Factors Contributing to the Effectiveness of Internal Audit Quality in Pakistani Commercial Banks

Nov 2, 2023 | mdpi.com | Madiha Afzal

2. Background of the Study and Research Hypotheses 2.1. Effectiveness of Internal Audit QualityDue to the complexity of internal audit effectiveness, it has been less studied in accounting and finance. Internal audits are defined by different authors in different ways. Internal audit effectiveness helps to achieve the set target by the organization and to reach the goals within a specific time is the effectiveness of internal audit quality (Hazaea et al. 2020a, 2020b, 2020c).
Pakistan’s always-troubled democracy is on the brink once again

May 26, 2023 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

Pakistan’s ongoing political crisis has reached a crescendo this month with former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest and its fallout. The contours of the conflict are clear: it is Khan versus Pakistan’s military establishment. And the gloves are off. Khan was arrested on May 9 from the premises of the Islamabad High Court, whisked away by dozens of paramilitary troops in riot gear, ostensibly for a corruption case.
What the Biden administration’s report on the Afghanistan withdrawal gets wrong

May 5, 2023 | brookings.edu | Madiha Afzal

On April 6, the White House released a short report defending its withdrawal from Afghanistan. The 12-page summary was released on the cusp of Easter weekend — presumably to minimize attention to it — but the substance of the document and the accompanying press briefing with National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby nevertheless generated immediate interest as well as criticism.
Afghanistan’s twin human rights and humanitarian crises

Apr 20, 2023 | brookings.edu | William Byrd |Kate Clark |Madiha Afzal |Naheed Sarabi

Twitter Join the conversation on Twitter using #AfghanCrises Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, 40 million Afghans have been dealing with both a repressive regime and unprecedented economic hardship.