South Asia - South Asia Times

Between Security and Privacy: Contextualizing Amnesty’s Claims on Pakistan’s Surveillance

SAT Editorial Desk September 25, 2025

Amnesty International’s Shadows of Control paints a bleak picture of Pakistan’s digital surveillance. Yet by sidelining the country’s acute security challenges, dismissing existing legal safeguards, and overlooking its own credibility issues, the report offers a partial and misleading narrative. A more balanced approach requires situating surveillance within Pakistan’s counterterrorism imperatives and recognizing the global double standards at play.

Colonial Legacies of Bombay and Calcutta

Rai Muhammad Ahmad September 24, 2025

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.

The Many Faces of Activism: Symbolism, Lawfare, and Separatist Politics

SAT Editorial Desk September 24, 2025

Mahrang Baloch is hailed as a human rights defender, yet her rhetoric, symbolism, and political positioning reveal alignment with separatist objectives. Her activism reflects the dynamics of narrative warfare, where political fronts provide legitimacy to armed insurgencies.

Pakistan’s Nobel Nomination for Trump: Peacebroker or Polarizing Figure?

Koonj Altaf September 22, 2025

Pakistan’s decision to nominate Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize highlights his role in brokering ceasefires, but also exposes deep divisions at home and abroad over his aggressive policies and controversial record on global conflicts.

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

SAT Commentary September 21, 2025

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.

Pakistan’s Defence Modernization: Between Sovereignty and Strategic Synergy

Sultan Mehmood Hali September 20, 2025

Pakistan’s defence modernization reflects a shift from dependence on foreign suppliers to indigenous innovation, marked by platforms like the JF-17 Thunder, Al-Khalid tank, and indigenous UAVs. While partnerships with China and Turkey remain vital, the future hinges on balancing sovereignty, economic constraints, and strategic sustainability. The challenge is not only to build power but to wield it wisely.

Trump’s H1B Policy: Consequences for India

SAT Editorial Desk September 20, 2025

A new Trump executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on H1B visas marks more than a shift in U.S. immigration policy, it is a geopolitical act with lasting consequences. While American firms may adapt, India faces structural damage.

Bagram: The Empire’s Airfield

SAT Editorial Desk September 19, 2025

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.

Institutionalizing Collective Defense: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the Region’s Future

SAT Editorial Desk September 18, 2025

The Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement marks a historic shift from informal cooperation to a binding security alliance. Anchored in collective defense and deterrence, the pact reshapes Gulf security, challenges reliance on Western guarantees, and positions Islamabad as a formal net security provider in the region.

Framing the Enemy: Modi, Bollywood and the Battle of Narratives

Javeria Tanwir September 17, 2025

Bollywood has become a powerful weapon in India’s information warfare, reshaping narratives on Pakistan, Kashmir, and Islam through propaganda-driven blockbusters. Under Modi’s BJP, cinema is being used to rewrite history, fuel nationalism, and normalize Islamophobia, raising serious concerns for regional peace and stability.