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Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

LATEST ⦿

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Al Jazeera’s reputation for alternative journalism contrasts sharply with its recent reporting on Pakistan’s conflict with the TTP and tensions with the Afghan Taliban. A close review shows consistent editorial choices that soften the Taliban’s image, reframe terrorist violence as resistance, and cast Pakistan’s counter-terrorism actions as aggression—ultimately reshaping the narrative in Kabul’s favour.

Read More »

Modern Platforms, Evolving Doctrine

Modern Platforms, Evolving Doctrine

The Gulf’s air-power evolution is increasingly shaped by the fusion of advanced platforms with modern doctrine and faster decision cycles. As regional forces adapt to complex threat environments, partners like Pakistan, whose operational experience spans multiple domains, are becoming part of the broader conversation on future air-power thinking.
The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The TTP’s war on education is a deliberate campaign to reshape society by destroying schools, suppressing knowledge, and undermining state authority. Rooted in ideology, coercion, and strategy, these attacks target Pakistan’s future by dismantling its most vital institutions of learning.
Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

LATEST ⦿

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Al Jazeera’s reputation for alternative journalism contrasts sharply with its recent reporting on Pakistan’s conflict with the TTP and tensions with the Afghan Taliban. A close review shows consistent editorial choices that soften the Taliban’s image, reframe terrorist violence as resistance, and cast Pakistan’s counter-terrorism actions as aggression—ultimately reshaping the narrative in Kabul’s favour.

Read More »

Economic Engagement or Ethical Dilemma? Canada-India Relations and the Nijjar Case

Canada’s renewed trade outreach to India comes at a moment of deep diplomatic strain. As Minister Maninder Sidhu seeks to revive economic cooperation, the unresolved assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and allegations implicating senior Indian officials, cast a long shadow. The controversy raises critical questions about whether Ottawa can balance economic ambitions with justice, accountability, and the protection of Canadian sovereignty.

Zohran Mamdani Stands Up for Justice: Holding Modi and Netanyahu Accountable

Zohran Mamdani, a rising progressive voice in the U.S., has boldly equated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes. Drawing on global principles like the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and ICC indictments, Mamdani challenges the immunity of influential leaders and advocates for accountability for mass atrocities in Gujarat (2002) and Gaza.

How Pakistan can Benefit from the World Bank’s New Nuclear Policy

The World Bank’s decision to lift its decades-old ban on nuclear energy financing marks a turning point for developing nations. For Pakistan, this policy shift offers a rare opportunity to tackle its chronic energy crisis through clean, affordable, and reliable nuclear power. By aligning with the IAEA’s safety standards, engaging with World Bank institutions like IFC and MIGA, and integrating nuclear expansion into its national climate goals, Pakistan can position itself at the forefront of sustainable energy transformation.

Why Kabul’s Trade Boycott Hurts Itself More Than Pakistan

Afghanistan’s bid to pivot trade away from Pakistan after the October 2025 closures reveals the limits of sovereignty without geography. Islamabad’s leverage remains structural, grounded in security and logistics, not coercion.

Themes

Modern Platforms, Evolving Doctrine

Modern Platforms, Evolving Doctrine
The Gulf’s air-power evolution is increasingly shaped by the fusion of advanced platforms with modern doctrine and faster decision cycles. As regional forces adapt to complex threat environments, partners like Pakistan, whose operational experience spans multiple domains, are becoming part of the broader conversation on future air-power thinking.

The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions
The TTP’s war on education is a deliberate campaign to reshape society by destroying schools, suppressing knowledge, and undermining state authority. Rooted in ideology, coercion, and strategy, these attacks target Pakistan’s future by dismantling its most vital institutions of learning.

Zohran Mamdani Stands Up for Justice: Holding Modi and Netanyahu Accountable

Zohran Mamdani calls out Modi and Netanyahu as war criminals, linking Gujarat 2002 and Gaza, and demands global justice and accountability.
Zohran Mamdani, a rising progressive voice in the U.S., has boldly equated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes. Drawing on global principles like the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and ICC indictments, Mamdani challenges the immunity of influential leaders and advocates for accountability for mass atrocities in Gujarat (2002) and Gaza.

How Pakistan can Benefit from the World Bank’s New Nuclear Policy

How Pakistan can benefit from the World Bank’s New Nuclear Policy
The World Bank’s decision to lift its decades-old ban on nuclear energy financing marks a turning point for developing nations. For Pakistan, this policy shift offers a rare opportunity to tackle its chronic energy crisis through clean, affordable, and reliable nuclear power. By aligning with the IAEA’s safety standards, engaging with World Bank institutions like IFC and MIGA, and integrating nuclear expansion into its national climate goals, Pakistan can position itself at the forefront of sustainable energy transformation.

Why Kabul’s Trade Boycott Hurts Itself More Than Pakistan

Why Kabul’s Trade Boycott Hurts Itself More Than Pakistan
Afghanistan’s bid to pivot trade away from Pakistan after the October 2025 closures reveals the limits of sovereignty without geography. Islamabad’s leverage remains structural, grounded in security and logistics, not coercion.

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub
The Taliban’s return to power has revived Afghanistan’s role as a global Terrorist hub. Despite pledges under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the regime continues to shelter and enable groups such as Al-Qaeda, TTP, and ETIM, creating a volatile nexus of terrorism that threatens regional stability and global security. As internal conflicts deepen and governance collapses, Afghanistan’s transformation into an ideological sanctuary ensures a cycle of chaos and suffering that primarily victimizes its own people.

Diplomacy & geopolitics

Broken Promises: The Taliban’s Betrayal of Global Commitments

Broken Promises: The Taliban’s Betrayal of Global Commitments

SAT Editorial Desk November 6, 2025

Nearly three years after seizing power, the Taliban’s systematic violation of their international commitments under the 2020 Doha Accord has transformed Afghanistan into a sanctuary for terrorism, entrenched an autocratic regime, and institutionalized gender apartheid. Beyond moral failure, this deceit poses a grave threat to regional stability, international counterterrorism efforts, and the credibility of global diplomacy. Holding the regime accountable is now a strategic necessity, not a choice.

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Playing the Victim: How the Taliban Endorse and Amplify Online Propaganda Against Pakistan

Playing the Victim: How the Taliban Endorse and Amplify Online Propaganda Against Pakistan

SAT Commentary November 3, 2025

Following the October 2025 border clashes, the Taliban have shifted their battlefield online, using propaganda, selective history, and digital disinformation to paint Pakistan as the aggressor. Through controlled media releases, colonial-era references, and victimhood narratives, Kabul seeks to manipulate regional perception and deflect blame for its own failures.

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The Indo-Afghan Arc: Rewriting Pakistan’s Strategic Geography

The Indo-Afghan Arc: Rewriting Pakistan’s Strategic Geography

Sultan Mehmood Hali November 2, 2025

The deepening India-Afghanistan engagement marks a new strategic era in South Asia. Beneath the façade of humanitarian cooperation lies a calculated effort to constrict Pakistan’s strategic space, from intelligence leverage and soft power projection to potential encirclement on both eastern and western fronts. Drawing from the insights of Iqbal and Khushhal Khan Khattak, this analysis argues that Pakistan must reclaim its strategic selfhood, strengthen regional diplomacy, and transform its western border from a vulnerability into a vision of regional connectivity and stability.

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Economy & Trade

The End of Dollar Dominance: How Gold is Rewriting the Rules of Global Finance

The End of Dollar Dominance: How Gold is Rewriting the Rules of Global Finance

Prof. (Dr.) Akhilesh Chandra Prabhakar November 10, 2025

After nearly eight decades of U.S. dollar supremacy, the global financial order is entering a historic transition. As nations seek refuge from debt crises, sanctions, and monetary manipulation, gold is regaining its status as the world’s most trusted store of value. Led by China’s strategic accumulation and supported by a worldwide shift toward de-dollarisation, this transformation signals the birth of a multipolar, asset-backed financial era, one anchored not in promises, but in tangible wealth.

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Environment & Climate Change

India’s Climate Policy after COP28: Net Zero 2070 — A Fair Promise or a Risky Postponement?

India’s Climate Policy after COP28: Net Zero 2070 — A Fair Promise or a Risky Postponement?

Manya Singhal November 4, 2025

India’s Net Zero 2070 target reflects a delicate balance between development equity and climate urgency. While progress in renewables, green finance, and adaptation is visible, the absence of clear interim milestones risks turning ambition into delay. The real challenge lies in translating a distant horizon into measurable, near-term climate action before 2030.

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

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.

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Governance & Public Policy

Zohran Mamdani calls out Modi and Netanyahu as war criminals, linking Gujarat 2002 and Gaza, and demands global justice and accountability.

Zohran Mamdani Stands Up for Justice: Holding Modi and Netanyahu Accountable

Farwa Imtiaz November 13, 2025

Zohran Mamdani, a rising progressive voice in the U.S., has boldly equated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with war crimes. Drawing on global principles like the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and ICC indictments, Mamdani challenges the immunity of influential leaders and advocates for accountability for mass atrocities in Gujarat (2002) and Gaza.

Read More »
How Pakistan can benefit from the World Bank’s New Nuclear Policy

How Pakistan can Benefit from the World Bank’s New Nuclear Policy

Hira Bashir November 13, 2025

The World Bank’s decision to lift its decades-old ban on nuclear energy financing marks a turning point for developing nations. For Pakistan, this policy shift offers a rare opportunity to tackle its chronic energy crisis through clean, affordable, and reliable nuclear power. By aligning with the IAEA’s safety standards, engaging with World Bank institutions like IFC and MIGA, and integrating nuclear expansion into its national climate goals, Pakistan can position itself at the forefront of sustainable energy transformation.

Read More »
Centralized Power and the Core–Periphery Divide in Afghanistan

Centralized Power and the Core–Periphery Divide in Afghanistan

SAT Editorial Desk November 7, 2025

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s return in 2021 brought rapid consolidation of power, but also the revival of a historical flaw. By concentrating authority in the hands of southern Pashtun elites, the Taliban have recreated the core–periphery divide that has destabilized every Afghan regime since the 19th century. This hyper-centralization, rooted in ethnic exclusivity and Kandahar dominance, risks a repeat of past collapses as non-Pashtun regions turn toward functional autonomy.

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Security & Counter Terrorism

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

SAT Editorial Desk November 11, 2025

The Taliban’s return to power has revived Afghanistan’s role as a global Terrorist hub. Despite pledges under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the regime continues to shelter and enable groups such as Al-Qaeda, TTP, and ETIM, creating a volatile nexus of terrorism that threatens regional stability and global security. As internal conflicts deepen and governance collapses, Afghanistan’s transformation into an ideological sanctuary ensures a cycle of chaos and suffering that primarily victimizes its own people.

Read More »

Social issues

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

SAT Editorial Desk November 11, 2025

The Taliban’s return to power has revived Afghanistan’s role as a global Terrorist hub. Despite pledges under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the regime continues to shelter and enable groups such as Al-Qaeda, TTP, and ETIM, creating a volatile nexus of terrorism that threatens regional stability and global security. As internal conflicts deepen and governance collapses, Afghanistan’s transformation into an ideological sanctuary ensures a cycle of chaos and suffering that primarily victimizes its own people.

Read More »

South Asia

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Al Jazeera’s reputation for alternative journalism contrasts sharply with its recent reporting on Pakistan’s conflict with the TTP and tensions with the Afghan Taliban. A close review shows consistent editorial choices that soften the Taliban’s image, reframe terrorist violence as resistance, and cast Pakistan’s counter-terrorism actions as aggression—ultimately reshaping the narrative in Kabul’s favour.
The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The TTP’s war on education is a deliberate campaign to reshape society by destroying schools, suppressing knowledge, and undermining state authority. Rooted in ideology, coercion, and strategy, these attacks target Pakistan’s future by dismantling its most vital institutions of learning.

Afghanistan

Why Kabul’s Trade Boycott Hurts Itself More Than Pakistan

Why Kabul’s Trade Boycott Hurts Itself More Than Pakistan

Afghanistan’s bid to pivot trade away from Pakistan after the October 2025 closures reveals the limits of sovereignty without geography. Islamabad’s leverage remains structural, grounded in security and logistics, not coercion.
The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

The Re-Emergence of Terror: Afghanistan as a Global Terrorist Hub

The Taliban’s return to power has revived Afghanistan’s role as a global Terrorist hub. Despite pledges under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the regime continues to shelter and enable groups such as Al-Qaeda, TTP, and ETIM, creating a volatile nexus of terrorism that threatens regional stability and global security. As internal conflicts deepen and governance collapses, Afghanistan’s transformation into an ideological sanctuary ensures a cycle of chaos and suffering that primarily victimizes its own people.

India

India’s Climate Policy after COP28: Net Zero 2070 — A Fair Promise or a Risky Postponement?

India’s Climate Policy after COP28: Net Zero 2070 — A Fair Promise or a Risky Postponement?

India’s Net Zero 2070 target reflects a delicate balance between development equity and climate urgency. While progress in renewables, green finance, and adaptation is visible, the absence of clear interim milestones risks turning ambition into delay. The real challenge lies in translating a distant horizon into measurable, near-term climate action before 2030.
As Bihar votes, Modi’s militarised politics faces its toughest test yet—will voters reject war rhetoric for real issues like jobs and poverty?

Bihar Should Reject Modi’s War Politics

Bihar’s election is shaping up as a test of Modi’s war-driven politics. With rising discontent over unemployment and poor governance, voters may choose to look past jingoism and focus on the real issues that shape their daily lives.

Pakistan

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Narrative by Design: Al Jazeera’s Editorial Tilt on the Pakistan–TTP Conflict

Al Jazeera’s reputation for alternative journalism contrasts sharply with its recent reporting on Pakistan’s conflict with the TTP and tensions with the Afghan Taliban. A close review shows consistent editorial choices that soften the Taliban’s image, reframe terrorist violence as resistance, and cast Pakistan’s counter-terrorism actions as aggression—ultimately reshaping the narrative in Kabul’s favour.
The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The War on Knowledge: History, Ideology, and Strategic Goals of TTP Attacks on Educational Institutions

The TTP’s war on education is a deliberate campaign to reshape society by destroying schools, suppressing knowledge, and undermining state authority. Rooted in ideology, coercion, and strategy, these attacks target Pakistan’s future by dismantling its most vital institutions of learning.

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
South Asia Times X Space explored AJK protests, JAAC’s role, subsidies, governance challenges, and India’s narrative spin.

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 explored AJK protests, JAAC’s role, subsidies, governance challenges, and India’s narrative spin.
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

SAT POSTER WEBINAR
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

South Asia Times (SAT) webinar “From the Periphery to the Center: What People at Our Margins Endure” explored the socio-political marginalization of Pakistan’s peripheries, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK, and KP, highlighting governance gaps, economic exclusion, and the need for inclusion, trust, and communication-based policy reform.
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

The Great Unknotting: America’s Tech Break with China, and the Return of the American System

The Great Unknotting: America’s Tech Break with China, and the Return of the American System
As the U.S. unwinds decades of technological interdependence with China, a new industrial and strategic order is emerging. Through selective decoupling, focused on chips, AI, and critical supply chains, Washington aims to restore domestic manufacturing, secure data sovereignty, and revive the Hamiltonian vision of national self-reliance. This is not isolationism but a recalibration of globalization on America’s terms.

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

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

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.

Editorial Picks

The Taliban’s Broken Promises: Time for a New U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan

The Taliban’s Broken Promises: Time for a New U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan

Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has once again become a hub for militant activity despite their promises under the 2020 Doha Accord. UN and SIGAR reports reveal that
Five years after the Doha Accord, the Taliban break commitments, harbor terrorists, exclude women and minorities, and defy international agreements.

Broken Promises, Renewed Threats: Time to Hold TTA Accountable

Five years after the Doha Accord, the Taliban have broken key commitments: 5,000 released prisoners returned to combat, 89% of government posts are held by Pashtuns, and women remain barred
Can war against terror be won without political consensus?

Can war against terror be won without political consensus?

For over two decades, Pakistan has battled the scourge of terrorism. Yet, despite military successes, the absence of political consensus continues to jeopardize lasting peace. As divisions deepen and populist
Afghanistan conundrum

Afghanistan conundrum

When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan saw hope. Four years later, TTP and BLA attacks have surged, Kabul’s ties with India are deepening, and Islamabad faces a
Missiles, Myths and Motives

Missiles, Myths and Motives

India's unchecked missile development raises concerns, while baseless allegations against Pakistan persist.
India’s nuclear buildup and U.S. support reflect ambitions beyond deterrence, raising risks of instability in South Asia and beyond.

India’s Expanding Military Posture

The development of hypersonic missiles, BMD systems, advanced surveillance assets, and nuclear submarines reveals India’s shift away from a purely defensive doctrine.