Author: Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal

Former High Commissioner of India to Pakistan and Distinguished Visiting Fellow – AC Mr Sharat Sabharwal joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1975. After serving in various positions in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva and the Indian Missions in Madagascar, France and Mauritius, he was Director/Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi from 1990 to 1995. The positions held by him subsequently have been Deputy High Commissioner of India in Pakistan (1995-99), Deputy Permanent Representative of India to the UN in Geneva (1999-2002), Ambassador of India to Uzbekistan (2002-2005) and Additional Secretary/Special Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (September 2005-March 2009). Mr. Sabharwal was High Commissioner of India to Pakistan from April 2009 to June 2013. He was appointed Central Information Commissioner in November, 2013 and served in this position till September, 2017. Mr. Sabharwal has been Deputy leader/member of the Indian delegations to the UN General Assembly, the erstwhile UN Commission on Human Rights, International Labour Conference and World Health Assembly. He was also the Deputy Leader of the Indian delegation to the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent held in Geneva in October 1999 and member of the Indian delegation to the World Conference against Racism, held in Durban in September 2001. Mr. Sabharwal holds a post graduate degree in Political Science. He speaks English and French besides Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. Mr. Sabharwal has been an author at the Indian Express, The Hindu, India Today, The Tribune and The Wire.

Viewpoint | August 2019

J&K Loses Special Status and Split into Two Union Territories The special status conferred on Jammu and Kashmir by virtue of Articles 370 and 35A of the constitution was scrapped earlier this month and Parliament passed legislation to divide the state into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without one. […]

Af-Pak Digest by | August 2019

I Overview Pakistan:• Government’s hounding of opposition continues• Economy• Army Chief’s tenure extended• Pakistan’s troubles at FATF continue• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-US Afghanistan: • Peace and Reconciliation moves• Uncertainty concerning the Presidential Election II Developments in Pakistan Government’s hounding of opposition continues The Imran Khan government continued to target major opposition leaders through the accountability process. Releasing a […]

Af-Pak Digest – July 2019

I Overview Pakistan:• Economy and Budget• Judiciary• Opposition unity• New DG ISI appointed• FATF censures Pakistan again• Pakistan-India• Pakistan-US• PM Imran Khan at the SCO summit Afghanistan: • Peace and Reconciliation moves• President Ghani visits Pakistan• President Ghani at the SCO summit II Developments in Pakistan Economy and budget The government presented its budget for […]

Af-Pak Digest June 2019

I Overview Pakistan:• Terrorism• PTM in the crosshairs of the Pakistan army• Opposition parties • Senior army officers convicted of espionage• IMF bailout• Pakistan-India• Mega CPEC projects inaugurated• Pakistan-Iran Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation moves• Extension of President Ghani’s term criticized• Afghanistan-Pakistan II Developments in Pakistan Terrorism An explosion triggered by a suicide bomber on May 8 […]

Af-Pak Digest May 2019

I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• Cabinet reshuffle- Finance Minister resigns• Terror attacks• State targets Pashtun Tahafuz Movement• Pakistan-India relations• Pakistan-China relations• Pakistan-Iran relations Afghanistan:• Peace and Reconciliation• Taliban announce spring offensive• Extension of Presidential term• Peace Jirga meets• Afghanistan-Pakistan relations II Developments in Pakistan Economic turmoil continues In its World Economic Outlook, the IMF has projected that in the absence of further adjustment policies, growth in […]

Af-Pak Digest – April 2019

I Overview Pakistan:• Economy• Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force• No consensus on continuation of military courts• Pakistan India relations worsen• Pakistan-China relations• Pakistan-Saudi Arabia• Pakistan-Iran Afghanistan:• Peace and reconciliation moves• SIGAR report on Afghanistan• Further postponement of Presidential election• Afghanistan-Pakistan• Chabahar Port II Developments in Pakistan Economic uncertainty continues Taking note of deterioration in Pakistan’s economic outlook and external position, Standard & Poor Global Ratings […]

Af-Pak Digest By Ambassador Sharat Sabharwal | February 2019

I Overview Pakistan: • Status of “Gilgit-Baltistan”• Blasphemy Law- acquittal upheld• Proposed extension of term of military courts• Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force• Indo-Pak relations Afghanistan: Peace and Reconciliation• Presidential election• Results of Parliamentary election• India and Afghanistan II Developments in Pakistan Supreme Court extends its jurisdiction to “Gilgit-Baltistan” Delivering a judgment on January 17 on a set of petitions challenging […]