The solution to Baluchistan’s problems is not in the gun. It is not violent. It lies in dialogue with the state. This is the core message of Gulzar Imam Shambay, a former militant commander who abandoned the path of insurgency and urged others to do the same. His words deserve serious attention from anyone who […]
Skipped Funerals
The funeral of Pakistan Armed Forces martyrs in Bannu was attended by the Prime Minister and the Army Chief, yet neither Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur nor a single member of his provincial cabinet was present. Such an absence raises serious questions about the provincial leadership’s priorities and the respect shown to those who laid […]
Unsung War Heroes
With the nation marking September 6, memories of valor and sacrifice return to us. But with them comes a question we have never answered with honesty. When will we give our non-Muslim soldiers the honor they truly deserve? These men shed their blood for Pakistan, yet their names are absent from our textbooks and erased […]
Enforced Disappearances in IIOK
On 30 August, the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. For Kashmiris, this is not an abstract observance but a day that cuts into their deepest wounds. Since the 1990s, thousands of men and boys have been picked up by Indian forces and never returned. Families have waited for decades […]
Academic Status is Not a Shield
The recent arrest of Professor Usman Qazi on allegations of facilitating terrorism raises an important legal and academic question. Does a person’s professional status as a university teacher grant any immunity from criminal liability under Pakistani law? The straightforward answer is no. The Constitution of Pakistan enshrines the principle of equality before the law. Article […]
Hindutvising Indian Democracy
By any measure, Rahul Gandhi’s latest remarks are political dynamite. With a few blunt sentences, he peeled away the shiny marketing label of “world’s largest democracy” and exposed the machinery underneath, a state held hostage by the ideology of Hindutva. For decades, India’s establishment has thrived on a carefully cultivated global image: an inclusive democracy, […]
UN Resolutions and Kashmir
Certain legal and political voices in India assert that the United Nations Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir have lost their legal significance following the Simla Agreement. They contend that, by agreeing to resolve all disputes through bilateral negotiations, Pakistan effectively transformed the Kashmir issue into a bilateral matter. Some even invoke Article 59 […]
Legal Optics of Burhan Wani’s Struggle
As yet another anniversary of Burhan Wani’s martyrdom passes, Indian media-particularly its pro-regime “Godi press”-resumes its predictable chorus, branding him a terrorist. This characterization, however, collapses under even cursory scrutiny when examined through the lens of international law. Far from being a terrorist, Burhan Wani meets the definitional criteria of a lawful combatant engaged in […]
The Pen Stops at Kashmir
Shashi Tharoor has written eloquently and forcefully about the brutality of British colonial rule in India. But the question is: will he ever turn his pen toward the colonial ambitions of his own country-toward Occupied Kashmir, where India seems to be reenacting the very imperial script Tharoor so passionately condemns? Take the Kashmir Railway Project […]
Pak-Afghan Relations: The Way Forward
Despite enduring challenges and grievances, a silver lining is emerging: relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are beginning to thaw once more. The two nations share a wealth of commonalities, spanning a diverse spectrum from socio-cultural ties to religious bonds, emphasizing the intricate interconnections that cannot easily be severed. In the recent past, India has attempted […]