Tag: south asia

International Women’s Day & Realities of women in Pakistan

This International Women’s Day, let’s have a closer look at the lives of Pakistani women. Pakistan’s society is unique and hence the challenges and opportunities women in Pakistan have are different from women anywhere else in the world.

Three Years to Operation Swift Retort

Balakot airstrikes and the retaliating Operation Swift Retort by Pakistan’s Air Force provide a bigger foreground for understanding the potential of escalation in the South Asian Region and offer important insights into the deterrence paradox.

South Asia: In the Midst of a European Conflict

The implications of the ongoing crisis are not only limited to Europe. The Russian intervention will produce indispensable ramifications for South Asia as well. As gas and oil prices will face a surge amid the crisis in Europe, this will likely cause a severe recession for South Asian economies and will hamper the manufacturing capacities.

Extremism & Its Counter-Narrative

Of countering narratives and creating the possibilities of a peaceful future, read how an alternative discourse can be generated in response to extremism.

Five Years to Radd-ul-Fasaad – Analyzing Threats and Counter-Threat Measures

Five years after Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad in Pakistan, it remains to be seen how productive counter-extremism efforts have been. At the forefront of narrative and ideological battles, how much has the state of Pakistan been able to achieve?

Secessionist Agenda of Pakistan’s PTM: An Analysis

The use of Pashtun ethnicity as a basis for separatist agenda demands a normative understanding of ‘ethnic-nationalism’. The issues faced by Pashtuns in erstwhile FATA cannot be considered persecution or subjugation of an ethnicity.

Rights Violations in India’s Karnataka

Female Muslim students barred from entering their classrooms for wearing a hijab walk outside their college in Udupi, Karnataka, India, violating their basic right.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban: Are the Tides Changing?

Pakistan wanted an ally on its west border that can oppose India and anti-Pakistan elements. Afghan Taliban being the ideologically driven faction emerged as indirectly favoring Pakistan. Though most of the Taliban are ethnic Pashtun, their ethnicity has never taken over their ideological identity, so in both respects, the Taliban were less detrimental to Pakistan’s security challenges.

The Resurgence of Sectarianism in Pakistan: A Threat Matrix?

Sectarianism is so deep-rooted in our society that even the state deems it ‘normal’ and does not react unless extremist manifestations of the phenomenon start turning ugly. The state’s typical response entails the ‘concealment and appeasement’ approach, which was evident from its dealing with the recent upsurge in sectarian tensions in the country.

The QUAD

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” ~Albert Einstein