Remaining on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for another year may be the least of Pakistan’s concerns. What poses a greater challenge is the FATF’s insistence that Pakistan investigate and prosecute leaders of UN-designated terrorist groups living on its soil—an expectation that directly clashes with Islamabad’s aspirations to shape the […]
Will Pakistan Act Against Terrorist Leaders? Read More »
For all Pakistan’s frenetic diplomatic efforts and loud expressions of outrage over the conflict between Hamas and Israel, the fragile ceasefire was secured not by Islamabad’s bluster but through Egypt’s quiet diplomacy and mediation. While Cairo played a constructive role behind the scenes, Pakistan indulged in diplomatic showmanship—indeed, one-upmanship—aimed largely at domestic audiences and imagined
Pakistan’s Paroxysm over Palestine Read More »
Pakistan’s abject failure to curb the extremist political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), from openly challenging state authority—terrorising citizens and unleashing a wave of violence and arson for over a week—ought to set alarm bells ringing in countries seeking friendship with Islamabad, not least Israel. For Israel, any attempt to establish diplomatic relations with a state
Israel Must Abandon Ties with Pakistan Read More »
Since few months now, there is peace across the LOC as the guns have fallen silent from both sides of the divide. It is reprieve time for those unfortunate ones who live within a radius of few kilometres from LOC on both the sides as they no longer need fear for their lives and properties.
India and Pakistan Invoke 2003 Ceasefire Agreement Read More »
After suffering humiliating defeats in the Middle East, the Islamic State has turned to Africa to reestablish its power and prove that it nonetheless has prevailed. At this stage, the group remains a mere shadow of the threat it once cast, but the Mozambique government’s petty corruption and ineptitude may present the greatest opportunity for
The Islamic State’s golden opportunity in Mozambique Read More »
In what seems like a series of missed opportunities to disband radical groups, Pakistan at every step of its evolution, let the Islamic outfit Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan(TLP), founded by Khadim Hussain Rizvi grow in scope and exercise clout on all matters of religious and even political significance. Over a period of time, it isn’t surprising to
Anti-French Protests and the Worldview of Pakistan Read More »
But for a few brave souls like Frits Veerman, Pakistan might have become the world’s most frightening nightmare. Not that it is not today, but it could have been worse: we might now be facing the spectre of nuclear Armageddon. Veerman, a professional photographer in Amsterdam, was one of the first to raise the alarm
The Man Who Saved the World from Pakistan Read More »
A recent threat assessment by Norwegian security agencies has drawn attention to Pakistan’s exploitation of dual-use technology, exposing the country as one of the greatest threats to international security. Norway thus joins a growing list of states that have raised alarm over Pakistan’s persistent practice of bypassing international safeguards to acquire sensitive nuclear technology, ostensibly
Dual Use Technology Imports Aiding Pakistan’s Covert Nuclear Programme Read More »
International Women’s Day on 8 March serves as a reminder that women across the world continue to fight for basic rights and equality. In South Asia, Pakistan and Bangladesh—once one nation until 1971—today stand at diametrically opposite ends regarding the status of women. Pakistan: Entrenched Discrimination and Resistance Denial of Basic Rights Women in Pakistan
Comparative Status of Women in Pakistan and Bangladesh Read More »
The American counter-terrorism establishment has been jolted by a sobering realisation: its most persistent terrorist threat is not foreign, but domestic. Contrary to conventional wisdom, “a large majority of jihadist terrorists in the United States have been American citizens or legal residents”. This conclusion comes from New America, a think tank providing one of the
The Autopsy of Jihadism in the United States Read More »
Repressive regimes frequently resort to violence, intimidation, and technology to silence dissent beyond their borders. A report published by Freedom House on 4 February 2021 noted that “transnational repression” has become increasingly common. It found that 31 states had physically attacked their citizens living abroad since 2014, while millions more have faced harassment, digital surveillance,
Pakistan’s Intimidation of Its Citizens Abroad Read More »
Bangladesh is celebrating 50 years of independence, and none seems happier than India, the larger neighbour often derided as the “big brother.” The reasons are many. Foremost, in this anniversary year, is that India bled—literally—while assisting Bangladesh’s independence in 1971. Confronted with the arrival of over ten million refugees fleeing civil war in East Pakistan,
India’s Modi to Firm up ‘Ties in Blood’ With Bangladesh Read More »
Bangladesh is celebrating 50 glorious years of its independence and the month of March is significant in the valiant struggle that then people of East Pakistan waged against the Pakistani Army. March 25 holds special significance being commemorated as the Genocide Day as on this day 50 years back Pakistan Army launched ‘Operation Searchlight’ resulting
East Pakistan Genocide: Still Yearns for Global Acknowledgement Read More »
As yet another FATF deadline approaches in the last week of February, Pakistan is once again making a show of tightening its AML/CFT regimes to comply with the requirements of the financial watch-dog. At the same time, a propaganda effort is underway to convince the FATF to not only not push Pakistan into the ‘black list’ but to also take Pakistan out of the ‘grey list’. The facts on ground, however, merit Pakistan being ‘black-listed’ for failing to deliver on its high-level political commitments to FATF. Worse, Pakistan has been deceiving the Task Force by pretending to take action against internationally designated terrorist groups and their financial networks but only on paper. In practice, these terror groups continue to function openly and are collecting funds publicly.
Deception Games: Pakistan’s Eyewash Action Against Terror Groups Read More »
Faced with the EU’s growing frustration and Biden’s more hostile administration, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has softened his tone, renewed his promises for greater cooperation and has ceased all exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean. However, Erdogan’s superficial attempts to appease the West in order to avoid further sanctions will not result in a
The upcoming talks regarding the tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, that are due to take place on January 25, should not disillusion us from the dangers of Turkey’s unilateral aggression on all fronts. Erdogan has made no real efforts to improve ties with the EU, except for the occasional vain promise of turning over a
France and the rest of Europe face a serious threat from Islamist terrorism. This has become more apparent after the brutal beheading of schoolteacher Samuel Paty, the terrorist attacks in Nice and Vienna, and the disgust and contempt most Muslim countries have expressed toward French values. French President Emmanuel Macron’s battle against Islamist separatism fights
The Hypocrisy of the Muslim World Read More »
The failure of the Saudi-led coalition, coupled with the UN’s habitual ineptitude, has plunged Yemen into another quagmire, with the US and UK blindly following Saudi Arabia. What was suppose to be a short intervention to restore a supposedly legitimate government against a radical islamist Iranian proxy has quickly turned into a five year civil
Yemen: A Strategy of Defeat Read More »
Following the terrorist attacks in Paris, ISIL has now officially become the main global enemy. But the fight against Muslim fundamentalism isn’t a question of military superiority but ideology. To fight fundamentalism, we must first acknowledge that these fundamentalist groups, such as ISIL, are in fact Islamic. Currently we seem to be to be torn
Between Intolerable Tolerance and Islamophobia Read More »
