Last month, a diverse group of policymakers, entrepreneurs and young change-makers from across South Asia stepped out of a brightly lit conference room in the Atlantic Council, particularly proud of themselves. For they had just spent a good three hours not yawning through a typical policy roundtable but a riveting brainstorming session where they had […]
Op-Ed
Iran Talks
The Iran track is not dead. That, rather than any grand announcement, is the meaning of the latest indirect US-Iran talks in Doha. Mediators have spoken of “positive progress, with oil falling to a four-month low as fears of immediate disruption in the Strait of Hormuz eased. Yet this is not peace–at least not the […]
Islamophobia: Demolition Drive under BJP
From May to mid-July 2026, media and multiple human rights groups tracked the demolition of over 23 Muslim religious structures across India. These actions took place within a 45-day window across six states governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), i.e., Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana. The targeted properties spanned centuries of […]
The Indus Waters Treaty and International Law
The international seminar titled “Indus Waters Treaty: An Instrument of Peace and Regional Stability,” organised by the Institute of Regional Studies in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, is a timely initiative. At a moment when the future of the Indus Waters Treaty has become a subject of growing regional concern, informed public […]
Pakistan Is Becoming Too Expensive to Live In
There was a time when inflation was seen mainly as a poor man’s problem. Today, it has entered the drawing rooms of the salaried class, the small business owner, the young professional, the retired parent, and the family that once considered itself comfortably middle class. The crisis is no longer limited to whether people can […]
Beyond the Cart: From Informality to Inclusion
Every morning, long before offices open and formal markets begin trading, thousands of street vendors take up their positions across Pakistan’s roads and public spaces. They sell fruit, vegetables, books, tea, clothing and other everyday essentials, offering affordability and convenience to millions in cities where access to formal retail is often uneven. Yet despite their […]
Terrorism Strikes Again as Pakistan Rises in Global Esteem
In the grand ledger of history, it has repeatedly been witnessed that whenever Pakistan, through the boundless mercy of the Almighty, secures a position of respect and dignity among the nations of the world or draws a breath of relief amid its many challenges, the forces of terrorism are swiftly stirred into renewed frenzy within […]
The Cord That Was Never Cut
Today is Amma’s birthday, and as I sit down to write this, I find myself struggling, as I always do, to put into words something that has never needed words at all. There is a particular kind of love that does not announce itself, that does not perform itself, that simply exists in the way […]
IWT Seminar: A Call for Strategic Rationality
The international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) held in Islamabad on 30th June effectively highlighted that the water dispute between India and Pakistan is rapidly evolving from a technical resource-sharing disagreement into a severe geopolitical, environmental, and humanitarian flashpoint. Titled “Indus Water Treaty: An Instrument of Peace & Regional Stability,” the landmark conference […]
Indus Waters Treaty, Indian Aggressive Actions and our Silence
Pakistan and India signed a historic water distribution treaty under the auspices of the World Bank on September 19, 1960, by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Ayub Khan in Karachi, Pakistan. This IWT, though not favourable to Pakistan, still provided a framework for both Pakistan and India to share the waters of six […]