Archives

Dismantling Disinformation Surrounding Pakistan Saudi Defence Cooperation

A malicious campaign orchestrated by digital pseudo-experts is attempting to distort Pakistan’s principled strategic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These bad-faith actors falsely allege that Pakistani defence cooperation with Riyadh amidst escalating regional tensions somehow equates to serving Israeli strategic interests. This deliberate mischaracterization weaponizes public sentiment regarding Palestine to undermine vital national […]

ICC Arrest Warrants Expose Systematic Persecution in Afghanistan

The International Criminal Court’s unsealing of arrest warrants against top Taliban leaders exposes the deeply systemic scale of gender-based persecution in Afghanistan. Unsealed on October 5, 2026, the judicial warrants explicitly target Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Education Minister Habibullah Agha, and Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadim. This landmark development […]

From Missing to Exploited: Bridging the Gaps in Child Safeguarding

When a child goes missing, a family loses much more than a son or daughter. It loses its sense of security, peace of mind and confidence in the future. We have all seen desperate parents carrying photographs of their missing children, moving from one place to another in search of them. They file a General […]

The Question of Multipolar World Order

Since 2017, when China became a global economic power, realist scholars like John Mearsheimer have argued that the global order is shifting from unipolar to multipolar. During Trump’s first term and Joe Biden’s presidency, neither administration placed much emphasis on this shift — both were fixated on containing China.  Trump’s second-term administration still has not […]

Moscow Format’s Blind Spot: Counterterrorism Without Accountability

At the eighth Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for helping the Taliban government strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities. He said Moscow supports material, technical and expert assistance for Kabul, along with cooperation between intelligence and security services, and he rejected any NATO troop deployment for that purpose. The remarks came […]

Afghanistan, Militancy, and Pakistan’s Security Strategy

Pakistan faces a persistent and complex security threat emanating from Afghanistan, shaped by an Afghan interim government reluctant to act decisively against anti-Pakistan militants; militancy expanding from physical sanctuaries into propaganda, recruitment, and digital operations; more assertive Indian interference; and governance gaps at provincial levels that allow militant networks to develop social and operational roots. […]

What is the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement?

The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed on 7 August 2026 by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, commits the three states to treat an armed attack on any one of them as an attack on all. It builds on the 2025 Pakistan–Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement and decades of military cooperation. This backgrounder explains its origins, its provisions, Pakistan’s position, and the first test it faced during the Houthi escalation of September 2026.

Moscow Fortification of Tajik Border Exposes Taliban Counter-Terrorism Failure

Russia’s recent military buildup along the Tajik-Afghan border exposes the stark reality behind Kabul’s unfulfilled counter-terrorism pledges. Despite becoming the first nation to recognize Taliban rule in July 2025 and delisting the group as a terrorist organization, Moscow’s actual security posture has shifted from engagement to active containment. Statements from Alexander Sternik, Director of the […]

Decoding Moscow’s Strategic Stakes in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan

The security setup along the Pak-Afghan border has been further splintered after a series of precision night raids by Pakistan against the alleged infrastructure of militants in Afghanistan’s Kunar and Helmand provinces. Islamabad said the operations had neutralised several combatants and high value logistical nodes while the Taliban leadership said that there were civilian casualties, […]