PAKISTAN: Hostage Nation “The bickering nation”. This one sentence aptly describes the current state of Pakistan, where the two major terrorist/insurgent formations – the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella group of 56 terrorist outfits, and the Baloch insurgents – have created havoc. A third terrorist group – the Islamic State – is also on a rampage. Meanwhile, the political landscape […]

Since its inception in 1947, Pakistan has oscillated between fragile civilian governments and outright military rule, a pattern that has entrenched the military as the true arbiter of power. The illusion of democracy in Pakistan has often been little more than a façade, with civilian leaders serving as puppets to the whims of Rawalpindi’s General Headquarters (GHQ), the nerve center […]

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon paid a four-day visit to India from 16 to 20 March 2025, during which a series of agreements were signed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The highlight of the visit was the launch of talks for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as part of efforts to deepen economic cooperation amid the threat […]

Nestled in the heart of Peshawar, Namak Mandi is a treasure trove of Pakistan’s untapped gemstone wealth, pulsating with the energy of traders, artisans, and buyers who have kept the ancient tradition of gemstone trade alive for generations. Despite its immense potential, the industry has largely remained informal, functioning within a $300 million shadow economy. However, a transformation is on […]

At a recent gathering in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, Mawlawi Amanuddin Mansoor, commander of the Taliban’s 217 Omari Corps, boasted that he could capture neighboring Tajikistan if given permission. His words were laced with contempt for Tajiks and a brazen dismissal of Russia’s deterrence due to its entanglement in Ukraine. While it may be tempting to dismiss this as mere bravado, […]