Sabena Siddiqi

Providing real-time location data, the global positioning system (GPS), which has both civil and military uses, is the largest and most reliable direction finder in the world. Since the US Air Force launched the very first satellite to make global observations of the Earth’s oceans into space in 1978, the GPS network gas dominated the market. Several other countries established similar networks over the years, but remained far behind the American GPS system. Russia’s GLONASS, China’s Beidou and the European Space Agency’s Galileo networks tried to keep up with the US, but were unable to dislodge GPS from the top spot. However, in the last couple of years, China’s Beidou network has been making rapid progress and is now on its way to becoming the largest satellite network. Having launched more than 40 satellites into space, China has now outstripped GPS, which runs on 31 satellites, while Russia’s GLONASS operates 24. China has its sights set on “serving the entire globe by the y...

I n the year ahead, artificial intelligence (AI) is set to move into the mainstream as many new high-tech innovations are ready to make their debut. Creating a well-planned infrastructure for these high-tech products is essential for ensuring they have favorable outcomes and become major drivers of economic growth. Expected to yield benefits in terms of labor productivity and time-saving, AI could drive up the world’s gross domestic product if it is strategically implemented in accordance with consumer demand. Redefining the way we live in ways never thought possible, many AI applications, such as self-driving cars and facial or speech recognition, have already been introduced. Having reached the level of sophistication needed for widespread implementation, in the months ahead many more such technologies will be employed for public use. As it is a virtual step into the unknown, it is time to evaluate the prospective impacts of some of these applications. First, AI c...

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed al Nahyan’s recent visit to Pakistan was the third meeting between the leaders of Pakistan and the UAE in less than three months. Not only that, it was Sheikh Mohammed’s first visit to Pakistan in 12 years. Agreeing to pursue initiatives for a strengthened strategic bilateral relationship, the two leaders would work on a long-term investment framework agreement and further upgrade trade ties. Discussing economic, investment and development possibilities, Prime Minister Imran Khan and the UAE Crown Prince identified new sectors where co-ordination could be intensified. To be exact, $3.2 billion each of oil supplies on credit as well as $3 billion in cash deposits were provided by both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, along with $1.2 billion trade finance from the International Trade Finance Corporation (IFTC)   Sabena Siddiqui This new phase began soon after Prime Minister Imran Khan visited the UAE twice afte...

Recently, the long-standing strategic alliance between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia has taken on a fresh dimension as the Saudi government is planning to invest in Gwadar in Baluchistan province. Having expressed avid interest in  investing in the oil, energy and mineral sectors , Saudi Arabia is now poised to become an important stakeholder in the Pakistani sea-port. Having worked together successfully in the past within the framework of several bilateral, global and regional forums such as the Organization of Islamic Co-operation, ties between Riyadh and Islamabad or on an upward trajectory. Developed under the umbrella of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Gwadar is the regional industrial hub of the future for export markets due to its location and trans-shipment and free-zone potential. Easily accessible for Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, this port has made CPEC the “flagship corridor” of the Belt and Road Initiative Not only does its natural lay...

Connecting Afghanistan to Europe via the Black Sea route, the Lapis Lazuli Corridor just became operational a few weeks ago. Inaugurated by the Afghan President Ghani in Herat, the first track is ready and shipments have already been sent to Europe using the Turkmenbashi port on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Interestingly, this identical route was used to export blue lapis lazuli and other precious stones from Badakhshan in Afghanistan to Turkey, Russia, North Africa and the Balkans over 2000 years ago. Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the cost of this project is more than $2 billion and the official agreement was signed between the member countries Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in Ashgabat only last November after  three years of talks . Since transport infrastructure was already operational, members simply focused on streamlining the legal and diplomatic aspects as decided previously at the 7th Regional Economic Co-operation Confe...