First today, congratulations to the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2026, Navi Pillay (85), a human rights and international law jurist who won the prestigious prize for her lifelong work for justice and humanity. I will say more about her further down in the article, but I would also like to congratulate the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Anne Carson (76), who won the prize for her skilful combination of classical Greek philosophy and literature with contemporary issues, reminding us that the important issues in life do not really change over time and place.

She was born in Canada, worked there and in the USA, and is now living in Iceland with her husband, visual artist and designer Robert Currie. She says she is listening to the wind. Perhaps she is also hoping that the wind and fresh climate there will slow down the effects of her progressive neurodegenerative Parkinson’s disease, which she was diagnosed with a few years ago. This reminds us all that success in life does not necessarily mean that one is above life’s challenges, as Navi Pillay has also experienced serious challenges in her private life. We must all be thankful for what we have, while we have it.

Last week was a pleasant one in several ways, at least for some, even many, if we disregard petrol price hikes. For Pakistan, indeed for the President and Prime Minister, it was an honour that the UN Secretary-General spent three days in the country, talking to peacekeeping teachers and researchers at NUST and other institutions trying to find new ways to achieve peace, just a few months before António Guterres ends his second term as UN chief.

Good work has been done, and more awaits at a time when multilateral initiatives are less popular than in the early years after the end of World War II, when the UN was established. At that time, the USA thought the UN was essential, although many Americans perhaps even then feared that........

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