Opinion

Tirah Operation and the Crisis of Confusion

Opinion /

(Shamim Shahid)  The controversy surrounding the Tirah operation has once again exposed a chronic fault line in Pakistan’s governance: the dangerous disconnect between Islamabad and Peshawar. What should have been a clearly articulated, legally justified, and administratively coordinated security initiative has instead descended into confusion, contradiction, and human suffering. At the centre of this unfolding […]

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When Protest Replaces Governance

Opinion /

(Arif Yousafzai)  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today presents a grim paradox. At a time when militancy is visibly resurging, governance in the province appears to be deteriorating with equal speed. This dual crisis is not unfolding in isolation; it is deeply connected to the nature of contemporary politics in Pakistan, where symbolism increasingly substitutes substance, and protest

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Protests, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Leadership Crisis, Adiala Jail, PTI Nationwide Protests on 8 February, CM Sohail Afridi and Tirah Displaced Families

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Leadership Crisis, Protests, Governance Failures, and the Forgotten Public

Opinion /

The announcement of nationwide protests on 8 February, by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), once again raises a basic and unavoidable question: can street agitation resolve the problems ordinary people face in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or has protest itself become a substitute for governance? The declared objective of these rallies is clear, to apply pressure on the center

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After Kabul’s Blast: A Defining Moment for Afghanistan

Opinion /

(Shamim Shahid) Afghanistan once again finds itself at the centre of a complex regional equation where security, diplomacy and internal political contradictions intersect. The recent deadly explosion in Kabul, which claimed eight lives including those of two Chinese nationals, is not merely another tragic incident in a country accustomed to violence; it is a stark

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PTI’s Security Gamble and Its Aftermath

Opinion /

(Zahir Shah Sherazi)  Pakistan today stands at a dangerous crossroads where confused political narratives, inconsistent security policies, and chronic governance failures have converged to deepen instability—particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former tribal districts. At the heart of this crisis lies the legacy and current posture of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose past decisions and present

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Afghan, Tirah Operation, Displaced Families in Tirah, KP Neglect, Afghan Terror Spillover

From Tirah to Tajikistan: KP Neglect Deepens Civilian Suffering as Afghan Terror Spills Across Borders

Opinion /

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has long been a flashpoint, and recent developments have only underscored the persistent challenges of cross-border militancy. Despite the Taliban’s claim to control, they have been unable to secure the Afghanistan-Pakistan border—or Afghan frontier with Tajikistan—allowing insurgent groups to exploit these gaps for their operations. Humanitarian Strain Amid Security

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Taliban, Jamaat al-Ahrar Resurgence, KP Government, Rifts within Taliban & TTP, PTI-TTP Nexus

Jamaat al-Ahrar Resurgence, Taliban Power Struggles and a Drifting KP Government

Opinion /

I am often asked whether Afghanistan is witnessing a new political turn or whether the developments we are seeing are merely cosmetic. From the outside, it may appear that the Taliban are divided into two camps, the so-called Kandahar group and the Kabul group. One is associated with rigid policies, strict social controls, and an

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Taliban Decisions and Afghanistan’s Uncertain Future

Opinion /

( Shamim Shahid) For the Afghan Taliban, the past few months have underscored a hard reality they have long tried to deny: ideology cannot substitute for geography, and isolation cannot sustain an economy. Developments surrounding Iran’s Chabahar Port, India’s recalibrated policy, deepening ethnic discontent inside Afghanistan and growing unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa together paint a

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KP, KP’s Governance Crisis, CM Sohail Afridi Protests, PTI-TTP Nexus, Facilitators of Terror

KP’s Governance Crisis: CM Afridi Protests, PTI Facilitates Terror

Opinion /

The government’s priorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or KP, are clear to anyone observing the last three months under Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Voters elected them expecting governance, service delivery, and attention to public needs, but what we see instead is a relentless focus on protests and jalsas. The administration appears obsessed with remaining on the

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Governance, Change That Never Came, KP Citizens Suffer, Haqqani Network vs Kandahari Taliban, PTI & CM Afridi on Tirah Operation

The Change That Never Came: KP Citizens Suffer Under Failed Governance

Opinion /

I have observed the developments, as well as the Taliban’s flawed governance, in Afghanistan closely, and it is clear that internal disagreements within the Taliban, particularly between the Haqqani Network and the Kandahari faction, have long been a part of their political landscape. The recent BBC report highlighting these tensions should not be treated as

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