Taliban shuts Torkham borders

US support for Pakistan following Balochistan violence reframes the conflict as a global counter-terrorism challenge, not a separatist struggle.

US Backs Pakistan as Violence Escalates in Balochistan

SAT Commentary February 6, 2026

US support for Pakistan following Balochistan violence reframes the conflict as a global counter-terrorism challenge, not a separatist struggle.

Islamabad debates the removal of a World War I memorial, weighing heritage, development, and how the city remembers its past.

The Journey of a WWI Memorial in Islamabad

SAT Commentary February 5, 2026

For years, the World War I memorial near Rehara village stood quietly above the surrounding land, a small but enduring reminder of local soldiers who

US diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad’s recent critique of Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations in Balochistan misrepresents ground realities, conflating state action with terrorism and ignoring the legacy of his own diplomatic failures.

Zalmay Khalilzad’s Distortion of Pakistan’s Security Realities

SAT Commentary February 3, 2026

Zalmay Khalilzad’s recent tweets portray Pakistan as collapsing, criticizing counterterrorism operations while ignoring the real drivers of instability in Balochistan: foreign-backed terrorism, criminal networks, and the civilian and security force toll. By conflating state action with militancy, he misrepresents ground realities and obscures the failures of his own Afghan diplomacy. This commentary exposes the gap between his rhetoric and Pakistan’s efforts to maintain law, order, and development under complex security challenges.

The evolving Balochistan security situation highlights the intersection of foreign-backed insurgency, criminal networks, and narrative warfare, reaffirming Pakistan’s long-standing concerns over external interference in its internal affairs.

The Indo-Israel Nexus and Proxy Insurgency: Challenges to Pakistan’s Stability in Balochistan

SAT Commentary February 2, 2026

Israel and India’s active support for Baloch militias confirms Pakistan’s long-standing concerns about foreign interference. Through proxy insurgency and narrative campaigns, external actors seek to destabilize Balochistan, undermine Pakistan’s internal security, and disrupt regional connectivity.

Balochistan’s Security Challenges, Criminal Networks, and Ground Realities

SAT Commentary February 2, 2026

Balochistan’s security challenge is not rooted in deprivation alone but in a long-entrenched nexus of militant outfits, criminal mafias, and foreign-sponsored narrative manipulation. The failure of “Operation Herof II” underscores the disconnect between militant propaganda and ground realities.

South Asia Times