Governance & Public Policy Archives - Page 2 of 6

$The Taliban’s new fatwa banning foreign militancy signals a shift in doctrine, but rising regional attacks and ideological fractures raise questions about its enforceability.$

Doctrine vs Reality: Can the Taliban Enforce Their Ban on Foreign Militants?

SAT Editorial Desk December 11, 2025

The Taliban’s new fatwa banning foreign militants has been hailed by officials in Kabul as a decisive theological shift. But rising attacks in the north, continued TTP operations, and mounting pressure from Washington expose a widening gap between doctrine and reality. As regional powers demand proof of enforcement, the decree risks becoming another symbolic gesture unless it translates into measurable action on the ground.

Criminalising Dissent: How New Laws and “Public Order” Politics Are Shrinking Democratic Space in India

Jerome Enriquez John December 10, 2025

India is witnessing a steady erosion of democratic freedoms as broad security laws, digital surveillance, and administrative restrictions redefine dissent as a threat rather than a constitutional right. From expanded use of UAPA and IT Rules to routine protest crackdowns and shrinking academic space, the cumulative impact is a quieter and increasingly constrained civic sphere.

The Taliban’s Gamble with Afghan Healthcare

SAT Commentary December 10, 2025

The Taliban’s ban on Pakistani pharmaceutical imports is pushing Afghanistan toward a severe drug shortage. Driven by ideological ties to the TTP and escalating border tensions with Pakistan, this political maneuver threatens public health, inflates medicine costs, and leaves ordinary Afghans to bear the consequences of a crisis rooted in strategic posturing rather than market forces or natural disaster.

The Politicization of Universal Human Rights in Contemporary Power Politics

SAT Editorial Desk December 10, 2025

Universal human rights are increasingly politicized, with Western powers prioritizing strategic interests over moral consistency. This analysis traces historical precedents, selective enforcement, and emerging non-Western challenges that reveal the fragility of global human rights norms.

An analysis of how the Taliban’s promised 2021 amnesty has collapsed into widespread arrests, killings, and repression, echoing historical patterns of Taliban rule.

A New Afghanistan, Old Methods

SAT Editorial Desk December 9, 2025

The Taliban’s 2021 promise of a general amnesty has collapsed into systematic arrests, disappearances, and killings—especially in Panjshir. Despite assurances of moderation, evidence from 2021–2025 shows a deliberate campaign to eliminate former officials, suppress dissent, and rule through fear, mirroring the Taliban’s historical patterns of coercion and violence.

The End of Liberal Internationalism

SAT Editorial Desk December 8, 2025

The 2025 U.S. National Security Strategy marks a decisive break from the post-1945 liberal order, replacing globalism and multilateralism with a neo-Westphalian focus on sovereign nation-states, fortified borders, and exclusionary spheres of influence. It signals America’s retreat from global leadership and the return of great-power rivalry.

Dividend or Disaster? Why India’s Population Policy Needs a Jobs-first Approach

Ashutosh Gupta November 24, 2025

India’s youthful demographic profile presents enormous opportunities, but only if the country can generate enough quality jobs. While the Economic Survey 2024 highlights improvements in labour participation and unemployment, deeper structural issues persist, including informal work, regional disparities, and gender gaps. A jobs-first approach is essential to convert India’s demographic advantage into real and sustained economic gains.

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.

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.

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.

South Asia Times

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