SAT Commentary - South Asia Times

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

Commentary

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

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.

SAT Commentary

Afghan Taliban and Cross Border Terrorism in Pakistan

Commentary

Afghan Taliban and Cross Border Terrorism in Pakistan

Pakistan is witnessing a sharp rise in terrorist attacks linked to the Afghan Taliban’s support for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). A new study reveals that Afghan nationals now dominate TTP infiltration groups, exposing Kabul’s complicity in cross-border militancy. As violence escalates, Islamabad must balance border control, diplomacy, and de-radicalisation to counter

SAT Commentary

The New Normal: End of Pakistan’s Strategic Restraint

Commentary

The New Normal: End of Pakistan’s Strategic Restraint

Any hope surrounding the Pakistan–Afghanistan dialogue in Doha is colliding with renewed violence and mutual distrust. Pakistan’s recent precision strikes in Paktika, following a shattered ceasefire and terrorist attacks, signal a shift toward active defense. The talks now hinge on whether Kabul can curb militant sanctuaries and move beyond its victim narrative.

SAT Commentary

An analysis of a false Financial Times report on a Pakistan-US port deal, its journalistic flaws, and its weaponization for political gain.

Commentary

Geopolitics, Journalism, and the Anatomy of a False Narrative

A recent Financial Times story claimed Pakistan was pitching a new Arabian Sea port to the US Built on anonymous sources and logical flaws, the report was quietly corrected. This article dissects how the flimsy reporting was weaponized by domestic and regional actors to push a false narrative, revealing more about their political agendas than Pakistan’s foreign policy.

SAT Commentary

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

Commentary

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.

SAT Commentary

Multilateralism in Crisis: Pakistan’s Call for Collective Islamic Security

Commentary

Multilateralism in Crisis: Pakistan’s Call for Collective Islamic Security

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Pakistan’s Deputy PM Ishaq Dar declared the UN system broken and urged the Muslim world to move from words to action. He called for an Islamic security roadmap, highlighted Pakistan’s nuclear deterrence, and issued red lines on India and Afghanistan.

SAT Commentary

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.

Commentary

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

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.

SAT Commentary

Pakistan at the SCO Summit: Strategic Messaging and Diplomatic Wins

Commentary

Pakistan at the SCO Summit: Strategic Messaging and Diplomatic Wins

Pakistan’s active engagement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit reflected a strategic balancing act between security concerns, economic connectivity, and regional diplomacy. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif not only internationalized India’s Indus Waters Treaty move but also secured explicit SCO condemnation of terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Coupled with key bilateral meetings with China, Russia, Turkiye, Iran, and Azerbaijan, Islamabad emerged from the summit with both narrative and diplomatic gains, reinforcing its role as a pivotal regional actor.

SAT Commentary

Pakistan

UNGA 80: Pakistan’s Case Against Terrorism, Proxies, and Global Neglect

As the UN General Assembly meets under the theme of peace and cooperation, Pakistan highlights its struggle against cross-border terrorism, proxy wars, and external agendas undermining its stability.

SAT Commentary

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Dilemma: Balancing Civilian Protection and Security

Commentary

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Dilemma: Balancing Civilian Protection and Security

Unlike its peak years of 2007–2009, the TTP no longer commands territory but operates through small decentralized cells that blend into civilian populations. This shift poses an unprecedented challenge for Pakistan’s security forces, where every strike risks civilian casualties and fuels propaganda. The dilemma is not unique, echoing ISIS in Iraq and Boko Haram in Nigeria, but it demands a collective civil-military response to deny militants both sanctuary and narrative advantage.

SAT Commentary