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The Long War: The Historical and Ideological Roots of the Pakistan–Taliban Showdown

A tenuous ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has halted hostilities for now, but the calm conceals deeper fissures rooted in history, ideology, and regional rivalries. As cross-border tensions resurface, the decades-old dispute over the Border, the Taliban’s harboring of TTP militants, and India’s quiet re-entry into Kabul are reshaping South Asia’s most volatile frontier.

LATEST ⦿

The Long War: The Historical and Ideological Roots of the Pakistan–Taliban Showdown

A tenuous ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has halted hostilities for now, but the calm conceals deeper fissures rooted in history, ideology, and regional rivalries. As cross-border tensions resurface, the decades-old dispute over the Border, the Taliban’s harboring of TTP militants, and India’s quiet re-entry into Kabul are reshaping South Asia’s most volatile frontier.

Themes

The Long War: The Historical and Ideological Roots of the Pakistan–Taliban Showdown

A tenuous ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has halted hostilities for now, but the calm conceals deeper fissures rooted in history, ideology, and regional rivalries. As cross-border tensions resurface, the decades-old dispute over the Border, the Taliban’s harboring of TTP militants, and India’s quiet re-entry into Kabul are reshaping South Asia’s most volatile frontier.

From Policy to Action: Analyzing Pakistan’s Climate Change Framework in Light of IPCC Insights

Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) presents a comprehensive roadmap to tackle the country’s growing climate challenges. From managing water resources and protecting biodiversity to empowering women and promoting renewable energy, the NCCP blends adaptation and mitigation for a sustainable future. Yet, implementation gaps: limited funding, institutional weaknesses, and policy incoherence, threaten its potential. Strengthened governance, transparency, and international cooperation remain key to turning this vision into climate resilience for Pakistan.

Kashmir’s Fading Legacy: Mythology, Etymology, and the Erosion of Cultural Identity under Indian Occupation

Jammu and Kashmir, once celebrated as the “paradise on Earth,” carries a 4,500-year legacy of diverse civilizations, faiths, and cultures. From ancient myths of “Kashyap Mar” to the enduring spirit of Kashmiriyat, every era has left an imprint on its identity. Yet, decades of Indian occupation and demographic manipulation under the Hindutva agenda now threaten to erase this timeless heritage. Preserving Kashmir’s culture is not just a regional necessity, it’s a global responsibility.

The Infodemic: Can South Asian Democracies Survive the Age of Disinformation?

From India to Sri Lanka, disinformation has become a weapon of mass manipulation, fueling mob violence, deepening polarization, and corroding democratic institutions. As truth becomes contested, South Asia’s future stability hinges on digital literacy, civic resilience, and responsible governance.

India’s Deepening Socioeconomic Crisis: Inequality, Unemployment, and the Erosion of Livelihoods

India’s rapid economic growth hides a deepening crisis of inequality, unemployment, and poverty. As corporate wealth expands, millions struggle for basic survival—exposing the fragility of the country’s neoliberal growth model.

The Instrumentality of Asymmetry: Taliban Hedging and Pakistan’s Compounded Security Dilemma

The security architecture of South and Central Asia is undergoing a significant realignment, the implications of which are crystallizing along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. To view the Afghan Taliban's engagement with India and the TTP's escalation of attacks as disconnected is to miss the emergence of a complex geopolitical dynamic. This signals a fundamental recalibration of regional relationships, forcing Pakistan to confront a renewed and more intricate security dilemma.

Diplomacy & geopolitics

Pakistan’s Stability: A Silent Pillar of US Strategic Interests

Alisha Zahra October 9, 2025

Long seen through a security lens, Pakistan is now redefining its role in US strategy, as a supplier of critical minerals, a connectivity hub between Central and South Asia, and a stabilizing force in a volatile region. Amid global competition with China and shifting energy dynamics, Washington increasingly views Pakistan’s stability not as a choice but as a strategic necessity anchoring its economic and geopolitical interests across Asia.

The Nobel Peace Prize or War Prize? A History of Controversial Laureates

SAT Editorial Desk October 8, 2025

Far from being an impartial recognition of pacifism, the Nobel Peace Prize’s legacy is marred by controversial laureates whose actions have been linked to immense violence. The prize is not a universal arbiter of peace but a political instrument reflecting a Western-centric worldview, rewarding figures who align with its geopolitical interests, regardless of the blood on their hands.

Eighty Years Later: Is the United Nations Becoming the League of Nations 2.0?

Ayesha Noor October 8, 2025

Eighty years after the UN’s creation to “save succeeding generations from war,” the organization stands at a breaking point. With veto paralysis, waning U.S. commitment, and global disillusionment, is the UN becoming the very institution it replaced—the League of Nations 2.0?

Economy & Trade

India’s Deepening Socioeconomic Crisis: Inequality, Unemployment, and the Erosion of Livelihoods

Prof. (Dr.) Akhilesh Chandra Prabhakar October 13, 2025

India’s rapid economic growth hides a deepening crisis of inequality, unemployment, and poverty. As corporate wealth expands, millions struggle for basic survival—exposing the fragility of the country’s neoliberal growth model.

CPEC 2.0 marks a new phase in Pakistan-China ties, with trade, industry, and Gwadar at the center of regional connectivity and economic revival.

CPEC 2.0: A Lifeline for Pakistan’s Economic Revival and Regional Integration

SAT Commentary September 7, 2025

Pakistan and China have launched CPEC 2.0, shifting from roads and energy to industries, technology, and trade. With $64 billion in projects and Gwadar Port at its heart, the initiative promises jobs, growth, and regional integration at a critical time.

India’s Balancing Act Collapses: US Tariffs Expose Fragile Foreign Policy

SAT Commentary August 27, 2025

India’s long-standing strategy of balancing ties with Washington and Moscow has unraveled. Sweeping US tariffs on Indian exports signal that New Delhi’s ambiguous stance on Russian oil is no longer sustainable, with severe economic and diplomatic consequences that could reshape its foreign policy trajectory.

Environment & Climate Change

From Policy to Action: Analyzing Pakistan’s Climate Change Framework in Light of IPCC Insights

Aiza Jaffery October 15, 2025

Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) presents a comprehensive roadmap to tackle the country’s growing climate challenges. From managing water resources and protecting biodiversity to empowering women and promoting renewable energy, the NCCP blends adaptation and mitigation for a sustainable future. Yet, implementation gaps: limited funding, institutional weaknesses, and policy incoherence, threaten its potential. Strengthened governance, transparency, and international cooperation remain key to turning this vision into climate resilience for Pakistan.

US-Pakistan relations must evolve beyond security. Climate change cooperation offers resilience for Pakistan and leadership for the United States.

Reimagining US-Pakistan Relations Through Climate Change Cooperation

SAT Editorial Desk September 28, 2025

Pakistan faces an existential crisis from climate change, despite contributing less than 1% to global emissions. Reimagining US-Pakistan relations through climate change cooperation offers a pathway to resilience, climate finance, and regional stability while advancing US global climate leadership.

Cloud Burst and Calamities: Exploring Pakistan New Environmental

Cloud Burst and Calamities: Exploring Pakistan’s New Environmental Reality

Aiza Jaffery September 17, 2025

Pakistan is facing a new environmental reality where floods, glacier melts, and devastating cloudbursts are no longer rare but routine. Despite contributing less than 1% of global emissions, the country bears the brunt of climate change, with fragile infrastructure and limited resources leaving millions vulnerable to recurring disasters.

Governance & Public Policy

Kashmir’s Fading Legacy: Mythology, Etymology, and the Erosion of Cultural Identity under Indian Occupation

Saba Ghulam Nabi October 14, 2025

Jammu and Kashmir, once celebrated as the “paradise on Earth,” carries a 4,500-year legacy of diverse civilizations, faiths, and cultures. From ancient myths of “Kashyap Mar” to the enduring spirit of Kashmiriyat, every era has left an imprint on its identity. Yet, decades of Indian occupation and demographic manipulation under the Hindutva agenda now threaten to erase this timeless heritage. Preserving Kashmir’s culture is not just a regional necessity, it’s a global responsibility.

The Infodemic: Can South Asian Democracies Survive the Age of Disinformation?

SAT Editorial Desk October 14, 2025

From India to Sri Lanka, disinformation has become a weapon of mass manipulation, fueling mob violence, deepening polarization, and corroding democratic institutions. As truth becomes contested, South Asia’s future stability hinges on digital literacy, civic resilience, and responsible governance.

Rich Land, Poor People: The Struggle to Unlock Pakistan’s Mineral Fortune

SAT Editorial Desk September 29, 2025

Unlocking Pakistan’s mineral fortune is less a matter of geology and more a test of governance. It hinges on attracting investment, implementing equitable policies, and navigating deep-seated grievances to avoid the resource curse that has plagued other nations.

Security & Counter Terrorism

TTP’s resurgence under the Afghan Taliban threatens not just Pakistan but global stability, linking jihadist networks across South and Central Asia.

Terrorism Beyond Borders: Why the TTP Threat Is Not Pakistan’s Alone

Faiqa Khanam October 11, 2025

The resurgence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) under the Taliban’s ideological protection is reactivating global terror networks across South and Central Asia. This op-ed explores how the TTP’s links with al-Qaeda, ISKP, and TIP make it a transnational threat, one that endangers U.S., Chinese, and regional interests alike, not just Pakistan’s stability.

The Unholy War: Religious Consensus Against Insurgency in Pakistan

SAT Editorial Desk September 15, 2025

For two decades, Pakistan has endured TTP-led violence. Now, a rare consensus among Deobandi, Barelvi, and Ahl-e-Hadith scholars delegitimizes the insurgency and redefines jihad versus rebellion.

Islamophobia and Global Politics After 9/11

Muhammad Aqib September 11, 2025

The 9/11 attacks reshaped global politics and ignited the US-led “War on Terror.” Beyond Afghanistan and Iraq, Muslims worldwide faced rising Islamophobia, systemic discrimination, and cultural vilification. This era marked the transformation of prejudice into an entrenched political and social structure across the West.

Social issues

Terrorism Beyond Borders: Why the TTP Threat Is Not Pakistan’s Alone

Faiqa Khanam October 11, 2025

The resurgence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) under the Taliban’s ideological protection is reactivating global terror networks across South and Central Asia. This op-ed explores how the TTP’s links with al-Qaeda, ISKP, and TIP make it a transnational threat, one that endangers U.S., Chinese, and regional interests alike, not just Pakistan’s stability.

The Unholy War: Religious Consensus Against Insurgency in Pakistan

SAT Editorial Desk September 15, 2025

For two decades, Pakistan has endured TTP-led violence. Now, a rare consensus among Deobandi, Barelvi, and Ahl-e-Hadith scholars delegitimizes the insurgency and redefines jihad versus rebellion.

Islamophobia and Global Politics After 9/11

Muhammad Aqib September 11, 2025

The 9/11 attacks reshaped global politics and ignited the US-led “War on Terror.” Beyond Afghanistan and Iraq, Muslims worldwide faced rising Islamophobia, systemic discrimination, and cultural vilification. This era marked the transformation of prejudice into an entrenched political and social structure across the West.

South Asia

The Long War: The Historical and Ideological Roots of the Pakistan–Taliban Showdown

A tenuous ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has halted hostilities for now, but the calm conceals deeper fissures rooted in history, ideology, and regional rivalries. As cross-border tensions resurface, the decades-old dispute over the Border, the Taliban’s harboring of TTP militants, and India’s quiet re-entry into Kabul are reshaping South Asia’s most volatile frontier.

From Policy to Action: Analyzing Pakistan’s Climate Change Framework in Light of IPCC Insights

Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) presents a comprehensive roadmap to tackle the country’s growing climate challenges. From managing water resources and protecting biodiversity to empowering women and promoting renewable energy, the NCCP blends adaptation and mitigation for a sustainable future. Yet, implementation gaps: limited funding, institutional weaknesses, and policy incoherence, threaten its potential. Strengthened governance, transparency, and international cooperation remain key to turning this vision into climate resilience for Pakistan.

Afghanistan

Beyond Words: Why Afghanistan’s Actions on Terrorism Will Define Regional Trust

Kabul’s calls for dialogue sound promising, but the continued presence of TTP sanctuaries on Afghan soil fuels deadly instability in Pakistan. Until the Taliban translates words into decisive action against terrorism, any talk of regional trust will remain hollow.

Bagram: The Empire’s Airfield

Bagram Airbase was the nerve center of America’s two-decade war in Afghanistan and a unique strategic vantage point at the crossroads of South, Central, and West Asia. Its loss created a void in US power projection that over-the-horizon operations cannot fill.

India

India’s Deepening Socioeconomic Crisis: Inequality, Unemployment, and the Erosion of Livelihoods

India’s rapid economic growth hides a deepening crisis of inequality, unemployment, and poverty. As corporate wealth expands, millions struggle for basic survival—exposing the fragility of the country’s neoliberal growth model.

After Sheikh Hasina’s Exit, Can India Rebuild Its Strategic Ties with Bangladesh by Pushing Dhaka Towards the Quad?

Sheikh Hasina’s resignation ended India’s golden era of ties with Bangladesh, leaving New Delhi scrambling to counter China’s growing influence. Can Quad engagement offer India a path to rebuild trust and secure the Bay of Bengal?

Pakistan

The Long War: The Historical and Ideological Roots of the Pakistan–Taliban Showdown

A tenuous ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has halted hostilities for now, but the calm conceals deeper fissures rooted in history, ideology, and regional rivalries. As cross-border tensions resurface, the decades-old dispute over the Border, the Taliban’s harboring of TTP militants, and India’s quiet re-entry into Kabul are reshaping South Asia’s most volatile frontier.

From Policy to Action: Analyzing Pakistan’s Climate Change Framework in Light of IPCC Insights

Pakistan’s National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) presents a comprehensive roadmap to tackle the country’s growing climate challenges. From managing water resources and protecting biodiversity to empowering women and promoting renewable energy, the NCCP blends adaptation and mitigation for a sustainable future. Yet, implementation gaps: limited funding, institutional weaknesses, and policy incoherence, threaten its potential. Strengthened governance, transparency, and international cooperation remain key to turning this vision into climate resilience for Pakistan.

Events

From The Periphery to the Center: What People at Our Margins Endure

The South Asia Times (SAT) hosted a national webinar titled “From the Periphery to the Center: What People at Our Margins Endure,” spotlighting how Pakistan’s border regions, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad

Governance, Protests, and Identity: Decoding the Crisis in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

South Asia Times’ X Space session on AJK protests featured insights from Farzana Yaqoob and Sardar Sohail Hassan, examining JAAC’s demands, Pakistan’s subsidies, governance challenges, youth mobilisation, and India’s shifting

SAT X Space

Governance, Protests, and Identity: Decoding the Crisis in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

South Asia Times’ X Space session on AJK protests featured insights from Farzana Yaqoob and Sardar Sohail Hassan, examining JAAC’s demands, Pakistan’s subsidies, governance challenges, youth mobilisation, and India’s shifting narratives. The dialogue unpacked how local grievances are exploited by vested and external interests.

Roundtables

The Kashmir Equation: Rethinking Strategy Amid Shifting Geopolitics

At a SAT roundtable in Islamabad, key voices from policy, academia, and activism called for inclusive, strategic, and diplomatic approaches to the Kashmir crisis.

Webinars

From The Periphery to the Center: What People at Our Margins Endure

The South Asia Times (SAT) hosted a national webinar titled “From the Periphery to the Center: What People at Our Margins Endure,” spotlighting how Pakistan’s border regions, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, face deep-rooted governance challenges, economic neglect, and communication voids. Experts called for shifting from a security-centric to an inclusion-driven policy model to rebuild trust, empower youth, and turn Pakistan’s peripheries into engines of national resilience.

Features

India’s Deepening Socioeconomic Crisis: Inequality, Unemployment, and the Erosion of Livelihoods

India’s rapid economic growth hides a deepening crisis of inequality, unemployment, and poverty. As corporate wealth expands, millions struggle for basic survival—exposing the fragility of the country’s neoliberal growth model.

Colonial Legacies of Bombay and Calcutta

Bombay and Calcutta were more than colonial capitals, they embodied imperial urban planning, economic integration, and cultural hybridity. From segregated ‘white’ and ‘black’ towns to thriving ports, industries, and nationalist thought, these cities reveal how British rule reshaped India’s urban life while leaving enduring legacies still visible today.

Zionism, Gaza, and the Crisis of Civilisation: Pakistan, Gaza, and the Architecture of Muslim Strategy

Pakistan has the military capacity to challenge Israel’s siege on Gaza, but not the strategic insulation of Iran. Its real role is not war posturing but disrupting the default — building structures, alliances, and deterrence frameworks that restore coherence to a fragmented Muslim world.