The fifth BRICS summit will take place from 26-27 March with South Africa - a late entrant to the grouping - playing host. Although sceptics have questioned the salience of this bloc, the group is essentially a work in progress. Expectations, therefore, must be modest and pragmatic.

Although the 13th National Assembly of Pakistan became the first ever to complete its full term, on March 17, the period was also marked by severe sectarian violence, foreign policy shifts and other internal issues. How have these dynamics played out in defining Pakistan’s polity and economy in the recent years?