Opinion

A Region in Flux, a State on Guard: Pakistan and the Re-Engineering of Militancy

Opinion /

(Arif Yousafzai) The recent terrorist attack on a security check post in North Waziristan, claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, is not an isolated incident, nor is it an unexpected one. It is, rather, another loud reminder of a grim reality that Pakistan has been reluctant to confront honestly: militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and […]

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TTP, Afghan Funding, Regional Security, Rifts Within TTP, Afghan Safe Havens

TTP’s Internal Divisions and Afghan Funding Raise Regional Alarms

Opinion /

Differences between Noor Wali Mehsud, the current chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or the banned TTP aka Fitna al-Khawarij, and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar constitute a very important issue. Although this is not the first time such differences have surfaced, it is also a fact that internal rifts within guerrilla or militant organisations are rarely reported in the

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PTI’s Leadership Crisis and the State of Governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Opinion /

(Arshad Aziz Malik) In recent months, the political landscape of Pakistan has witnessed a significant and, at times, bewildering shift. At the center of this shift is Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), a party that once presented itself as the vanguard of public change under the charismatic leadership of Imran Khan. Today, however, the party seems to have

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On the Frontline of Regional Turmoil: Pakistan’s Unequal War Against Terror

Opinion /

The United Nations’ latest assessment declaring 2025 a year of severe security challenges for Pakistan should not come as a surprise to anyone closely observing the country’s internal dynamics over the past several years. What is alarming, however, is not merely the scale of the threat highlighted in the report, but the consistency with which

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Afghanistan at the Epicenter of Global Extremism: How Taliban Ideology Mirrors Al-Qaeda and ISIS

Opinion /

(Zahir Shah Shirazi)  The recent report by the US journal The National Interest has highlighted a stark reality that demands global attention: the policies of Afghanistan under Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada bear striking similarities to extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIS). This alignment is not merely ideological; it manifests profoundly in the Afghan educational

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Dialogue, Afghan Taliban, Tehran Moot, Pakistan's War on Terror, Afghan Safe Havens

From Kabul to KP: Dialogue, Security, and the Quest for Effective Governance

Opinion /

The recent regional dialogue on Afghanistan reflects both the fragility of security and the complexities of political engagement. A notable development occurred with a meeting hosted in Iran, which the Islamic Emirate did not attend. This absence drew tension from key regional players, including Pakistan, Russia, and China, underscoring the delicate trust deficit in regional

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Beyond the Numbers: Why Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Is Facing Its Most Dangerous Phase of Terrorism

Opinion /

(Shamim Shahid) The most dangerous moment in any conflict is not when bombs explode on military convoys or when armed men clash with security forces in remote mountains. The most dangerous moment is when war quietly enters homes, markets and streets, when children become targets and fear becomes routine. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reached that moment.

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Peshawar, FC Headquarters Attack in Peshawar, Peshawar Suicide Attack, Kabul Ulema Decree, Afghan Taliban

Terror’s Footprint in Peshawar, With Roots Across the Border in Kabul

Opinion /

The attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar Cantonment, in which three FC officers were martyred, immediately raised a series of hard and unavoidable questions. Who were the attackers? Were they all suicide bombers? Where did they come from? Which organisation did they belong to? Where did they stay, and with whom? As investigations

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Faiz Hameed, State Comes First, Faiz Hameed’s Conviction

State Comes First, The Message Embedded in Faiz Hameed’s Conviction

Opinion /

The fourteen year sentence awarded to former ISI chief Lieutenant General retired Faiz Hameed is a landmark. Pakistan’s past offers no example of an ISI chief being punished in this way. Senior figures of similar rank have faced trials before, but none who once ran the country’s principal intelligence service. His conviction carries four proven

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