Iran’s decision to construct a 300 km concrete wall with barbed wire along its border with Afghanistan is a significant geopolitical development. The $3 billion project, intended to curb cross-border terrorism, smuggling, and illegal immigration, particularly in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, highlights the escalating security challenges in the region. Iran’s border fortification is part of a […]

In a devastating and violent incident, a roadside bomb exploded near a convoy of foreign diplomats travelling through Pakistan’s scenic Swat Valley. Resultantly, what should have been a symbol of Pakistan’s expanding diplomatic connections, transpired into a tragic reminder of the menace of terrorism. This terror attack was a premeditated move by forces averse to Pakistan’s prosperity and improved diplomatic […]

On September 19, 2024, two Pakistani soldiers were killed while another soldier sustained injuries at the Ghulam Khan Border terminal in the North Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), when Afghan border guards opened fire at them. Two Afghan border guards were also critically injured in the firing. According to Pakistani officials, the incident occurred at a time when the […]

The Pakistan government announced a ban on cross-border travel with Afghanistan from November 2023. Residents of Chaman district in Pakistan protested against the government’s decree immediately after it was announced, which made it compulsory for people passing the Spin Boldak–Chaman crossing to produce visas and passports.1 So far, the Afghans and Pakistanis could cross the border at Spin Boldak showing […]

An article and editorial published recently in leading Pakistani dailies expressed concern over an alarming rise in attacks across Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. In these two provinces in recent years, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), and other groups have been waging a sustained and continuous campaign of attacks against Pakistani security forces. Dr. Gul.i.Ayesha […]

On August 26, 2024, Balochistan experienced one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in years, shaking the province to its core. Dozens of civilians and security personnel were killed in coordinated assaults that bore the hallmarks of meticulous planning and brutal execution. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a banned separatist organization, quickly claimed responsibility for the attacks, signaling a dangerous escalation […]

The myth of Balochistan as an independent state before partition that was occupied by Pakistan forcibly is not a true one. This notion sustains the current insurgencies and the continuing fight for self-rule in the area. But, the historical facts are quite contrary to this perception; the fact is that Balochistan joined Pakistan willingly and its representatives of that time […]

The U.S. State Department on September 12 imposed sanctions on a Chinese research institute and several companies it said have been involved in supplying Pakistan’s ballistic missile program. The Beijing Research Institute of Automation for Machine Building Industry worked with Pakistan to procure equipment for testing rocket motors for the Shaheen-3 and Ababeel systems and potentially for larger systems, the […]

As the Taliban celebrates three years of reign, global powers/regional neighbours are forced to ponder (just like the authors) the regime’s sustained grip to power, which appears to strengthen with every passing year. In these three years, the Supreme Leader (Emir) Haibatullah Akhundzada has strengthened his grip to power, formulating new federal institutions functioning under his decree and implementing policies […]

A clash between Pakistani and Afghan border forces in Zazi Maidan district in Khost provinces was brought to an end after the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs stepped in. Reports indicate two Pakistani security posts were destroyed in the clash, Multiple reports also indicated that at least five Pakistan soldiers, including an officer, and four Afghan border guards had […]