Pakistan - South Asia Times

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a historic defence pact, building joint deterrence and reshaping security across the Gulf and South Asia.

Saudi–Pakistan Defence Deal: The Geopolitical Significance

Syeda Tahreem Bukhari October 25, 2025

In a shifting multipolar world, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have formalized a landmark mutual defence pact marking a new era in regional security. The agreement reflects Riyadh’s strategic pivot from dependence on the U.S. towards trusted partners like Pakistan, an established military power in the Islamic world. Beyond reaffirming deep-rooted bilateral ties, the pact reshapes South Asia–Gulf dynamics, deters Indian aggression, and signals a broader trend of regional cooperation amid evolving geopolitical threats.

The New Normal: End of Pakistan’s Strategic Restraint

SAT Commentary October 18, 2025

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.

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

SAT Editorial Desk October 16, 2025

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

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.

Pakistan confronts a new security dilemma as the Afghan Taliban provides sanctuary to the TTP while building diplomatic ties with its adversary, India.

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

SAT Editorial Desk October 11, 2025

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.

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.

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

Geopolitics, Journalism, and the Anatomy of a False Narrative

SAT Commentary October 5, 2025

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.

A Strategic Checkmate: The Defense Pact Reshaping the International Relations

Kamran Khan October 1, 2025

The 2025 strategic defense pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia marks a major diplomatic milestone. Strengthening military and economic ties, it enhances Pakistan’s regional influence, bolsters Gulf security, and positions Islamabad as a key player between China, the US, and the Middle East. The agreement reflects a blend of constructivist and realist strategies, reinforcing Pakistan’s leadership role in the Muslim world.

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.

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.