When a suicide bomber killed three Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver several weeks ago in Karachi, China–Pakistan relations were already being tested by Pakistan’s economic troubles and political instability, as well as the broader US–China rivalry. The attack — claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a secular, ethnic Baloch separatist organisation seeking to secede from Pakistan and eliminate China’s […]

On broaching the issue of religious radicalisation in Kashmir, the stock reply is that this is sheer propaganda as there’s no such thing here. This reply is invariably followed by a lengthy monologue on the inimitable and age-old ‘Sufi [Muslim ascetic] -Reshi’ [Hindu sage] culture this region boasts of, which being pluralistic and extremely tolerant in character, blocks ingress of […]

Waqf is a charitable endowment permanently dedicated by an individual to (Allah) God to provide services to the community. It is perpetual which means ‘once a waqf always a waqf’ and it cannot be alienated. The institution of Muslim endowments Kashmir was first established under the name of ‘Idara auqaf islamia and later Muslim Auqaf Trust and then as Jammu […]

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, said despite problems and obstacles created by opponents of the Islamic Emirate, the IEA must also fight false propaganda being spread by these anti-IEA elements. Speaking at a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, Stanikzai said opposition groups are trying to drive […]

The Pakistani Taliban said Thursday they have indefinitely extended a cease-fire with the government in Islamabad, following two days of talks with a delegation of Pakistani tribal elders that were hosted by the Afghan Taliban. According to Mohammad Khurasani, a spokesman for the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group or TTP, the decision was made after “substantial progress” in the talks with […]

The United States shares Tajikistan’s desire to see the emergence of a peaceful political process in which all of Afghanistan’s communities take part, Washington’s special envoy, Thomas West, said on Thursday. West made the remarks after visiting Tajikistan where he met with senior local officials including President Emomali Rahmon. He said that Tajikistan has a long and mountainous border with […]

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif met this week in Ankara for discussions and pledged to strengthen bilateral ties and work together to help promote peace and stability in Afghanistan. The two leaders meanwhile raised concerns about the growing number of illegal Afghan immigrants in their countries but said they have agreed on ways to […]

An Indian delegation led by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary J.P. Singh met Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials in Kabul on Thursday where they discussed various issues including diplomatic relations. “Today, IEA Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi received Indian MEA Joint Secretary J.P. Singh and accompanying delegation. The meeting focused on India-Afghan diplomatic relations, bilateral […]

Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), has said that the government has made good progress in its diplomacy with the world. Speaking at a meeting with the government’s spokesmen, Muttaqi said that IEA’s meetings with the United States and EU helped ease economic sanctions. He went on to say foreign embassies have started […]

Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Acting Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said this week that once firm diplomatic ties have been established with India, the new Afghan government will look at securing defense relations with New Delhi. “Before starting defense relations, the first condition is to have good diplomatic relations and to advance them. When we […]