Fake News, Anti-Pakistan Propaganda by Taliban Regime
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defence announced on 9 August that its 201st Khalid bin Walid Corps had seized 74 light and heavy weapons in the eastern zone, claiming that they had been “smuggled from Pakistan” for the purpose of carrying out “subversive activities.” The seized items reportedly included machine guns, Kalashnikovs, M16 rifles, mortars, RPGs, and […]
Between Scrutiny & Slander
This seems to be an uncomfortable summer for Pakistan. Forced labour and weak enforcement were raised as concerns in the EU’s GSP+ monitoring report. Labour Behind the Label, a UK group, published Silenced, based on 255 interviews with workers in eight factories that make products for brands such as Levi’s, H&M and Gap. It cited […]
Indigenous Peoples: Celebrating Diversity but Struggling for Human Rights
Every year, on the 9th of August, the international community observes the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Established officially by the United Nations, this annual observance serves as a powerful and vital reminder that Indigenous groups are absolutely indispensable partners in our modern world. Their contributions are remarkably diverse, playing a critical role […]
Nepal’s Hydropower Ambitions and Regional Energy Trade
Nepal’s hydropower sector has quietly become one of South Asia’s more significant success stories in cross-border energy cooperation, even as the country’s own energy security remains only partially secured. As of March 2026, Nepal’s installed hydropower capacity had reached approximately 4,105 megawatts, up from roughly 700 megawatts fifteen years ago, according to sector data reported […]
The Maldives’ Foreign Policy Balancing Act
The Maldives’ foreign policy is no longer simply about choosing between India and China. Its national security is increasingly tied to how effectively it manages competition among major powers in the Indian Ocean. As strategic rivalry intensifies across the region, MalĂ© is seeking to preserve its independence by maintaining relationships with competing powers rather than […]
Afghanistan Cannot Fight Hunger While Sheltering the TTP
Some 7.6 million Afghans missed out on food assistance that had already been planned for them. That is not merely a footnote in the next donor appeal. It is a symptom of something larger and more complex: dwindling funding, an increasingly isolated economy, fractured regional relations, and rulers in Kabul who continue to place ideology […]
Pakistan–Kuwait Defense Cooperation: An Emerging Strategic Partnership
Pakistan and Kuwait have moved their defense relationship into new territory. Kuwait has ratified the bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement signed in 2023, demonstrating both countries’ commitment to strengthening military cooperation and institutional collaboration. More than a routine diplomatic development, the agreement signals a broader shift in Gulf security dynamics. Gulf states are increasingly looking beyond […]
Afghan Girls and Five Lost Years of School Under Taliban Rule
Five years after the Taliban’s return to power, one of the most enduring symbols of Afghanistan’s humanitarian and political crisis is not found on the battlefield but in the empty classrooms where millions of girls should be studying. The denial of education has become far more than a domestic policy; it is a deliberate instrument […]
Pakistan’s Evolving Role in Changing Strategic and Diplomatic Environment
For most of the last century, a nation’s standing in the world was measured largely by the size of its army and the reach of its weapons. That measure is no longer sufficient, and clinging to it will leave Pakistan poorly equipped for the century we are actually living in. Influence today flows through channels […]