The Hollow Middle: Why Growth Isn’t Building a Stable Middle Class in South Asia
Despite impressive GDP numbers, South Asia’s middle class remains fragile, eroded by inequality, informal work, and jobless growth
Bridging Borders or Blocking Progress? India’s Objection to CPEC’s Afghan Expansion Signals Strategic Anxiety
As China and Pakistan push to extend CPEC into Afghanistan for regional connectivity and economic revival, India objects, citing sovereignty over disputed territories. This commentary explores how New Delhi’s stance may hinder cooperation and isolate India in a rapidly shifting South-Central Asian landscape.
The Battle for the Past: How Textbooks Shape Nations and Narratives
From South Asia to the West, history textbooks are being rewritten to serve national narratives, blurring the line between memory and mythology.
Tragedy in Turbat: Sufyan Baloch and the Hijacking of Youth by Extremist Ideologues
On July 22, 2025, Sufyan Baloch, a student, turned turned militant, got killed during a security operation against terrorists in Turbat, Balochistan. At just 25, he had a university degree, access to government-sponsored scholarships, and a promising future. But by the time of his death, he was a armed terrorist affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Weaponizing Water: India’s IWT Suspension Alarms UK Parliament
India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty sparks alarm in the UK Parliament, raising global concerns over treaty violations and water wars.
A Fragile Opening: What the Pak-Afghan Trade Deal Really Means
The agreement gives Afghanistan vital export routes and positions Pakistan to advance its long-term vision of regional economic connectivity.
A Step Toward Stability: Afghanistan’s Pledge to Disarm the TTP
Afghanistan has pledged to disarm and relocate the TTP—a potential breakthrough in regional counterterrorism efforts.
The Megacity Meltdown: South Asia’s Urban Crisis
South Asia’s megacities are a brutal paradox—gleaming towers overshadowing crumbling infrastructure. As cities like Delhi, Dhaka, Karachi, and Lahore buckle under pollution, inequality, and dysfunction, the urban crisis can no longer be ignored.
May 2025: Trump Validates Pakistan’s Calm, Not India’s Claims
In a major shift, Donald Trump has backed Pakistan’s account of the 2025 crisis, dismissing India’s narrative and crediting Islamabad’s credible deterrence for preventing war. His statement reaffirms that diplomacy only worked because Pakistan held the line with calm strength.