Deepfake or Real? Here’s How to Tell the Difference
Deepfake, as the name suggests, uses deep learning technology to create convincing yet fake digital media. In this article, Shahzeb Rizwan Raja enumerates specific characteristics that distinguish between an actual and a deepfake video and image.
Pakistan’s Political Circus: PDM, PTI, and the New COAS
The swift and undisturbed appointment of Pakistan’s new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on 24th November brought an end to what could have been a possible cause of political unrest.
Will the change in command at GHQ let go of the past and usher in a new era of civil-military relations?
FATF Exit: Benefits for Pakistan
Placed on the FATF’s grey list in June 2018, Pakistan was finally removed from the list in October 2022. The country has undoubtedly undergone strict scrutiny from the global monetary watchdog.
Of course, there should be benefits that come with being white-listed, but what are they? And how much loss has the country suffered from being placed on the grey list for over four years?
Black Lives Matter—A Theoretical Outlook
American society is set up to reward those who are born advantaged but claims that all can succeed through arduous work—a portrait of race neutrality painted by the privileged white class. This has led to the re-instigation of the ‘black struggle’ in America. The struggle is not new, as it has reared its head multiple times in the history of the US.
To understand the different layers of the BLM conflict, Hafsa Ammar studies the movement through the instrumentalist theory of ethnicity, the social identity theory, and the strain theory.
The social identity theory elaborates on the sharp divides between the ‘blacks and whites’ and explains how such an ethnic divide manifests in education, employment, social interactions, narrative building etcetera. The instrumentalist theory highlights the cultural and racial peripheries within which they live and die. Lastly, the strain theory is used to study the manifestations of the social roles assigned to the African American race.
The Second Persian Gulf War: More Lies & Military Actions
The Second Persian Gulf War, also known as the Iraq War (2003-11) occurred a decade after the First Persian Gulf War. The Second Gulf War consisted of two phases. In the first phase, the American and British Forces formed a coalition with several other countries to bring down the government of President Saddam Hussein.
The second phase of the war occurred when Iraqis started to rebel against the US-led occupation of Iraq, and the war finally concluded with the US withdrawing its forces from Iraq in 2011.
Nuclear Deterrence & the Stability Paradox
The tragic event of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to a military revolution, altering the chief purpose of the military from winning wars to averting them through deterrence.
Deterrence is a strategy largely deployed to avert potential nuclear conflicts hence providing the safe contoured illusion of strategic stability.
Maryam Yasmeen navigates theories, arguments, and case studies to understand nuclear deterrence and the paradox of stability that it creates.
The Kempirabad Reservoir: Achieving Depth in Kyrgyz-Uzbek Relations
A shared border has geopolitical and geoeconomic dimensions of its own, which then brings our attention to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border.
The land isn’t the main issue in this case—eyes are more on the Kempirabad or Andijan reservoir located where Kyrgyzstan’s Osh region and Uzbekistan’s Andijan region meet.
An agreement on the joint management of the reservoir was signed just last month by both states.
The Opportunities & Challenges of Using Social Media in Pakistan
Kashaf Imran discusses social media and technology in the digital age. She also comments on the challenges and opportunities for Pakistan, with a particular focus on 5th-generation media warfare.
Protests Against China’s Zero-COVID Policy
China continues to stand by its zero-covid policy, one that requires extended lockdowns, mass testings, and quarantines. The government believes this is necessary to completely eliminate the virus from China.
Waves of protests are now erupting all across China. Although citizens previously yielded to these strict measures, it seems patience has worn out.
The Tigray Conflict: A Truce for Peace in Ethiopia
Mahnoor Najeeb details the brutal conflict between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Following the recount of the ill-fated relationship, she briefly describes the recent peace deal that has been struck between the Tigray forces and the state authorities.
Postmodernism in International Relations
Critical in nature and identified as a cultural movement against modernism, postmodernism rejects universal and definite truths, challenging reason itself. It views existence to be fragmented and irregular while condemning science and technology.
Maryam Yasmeen unravels this complex theory and its application to the discipline of international relations.
The Geopolitical Importance of the Suez Canal
Summaiyya Qureshi explores the geopolitical importance of the Suez Canal, a widely used route in the marine commercial business that reduces trade costs significantly.
The Suez Canal plays a vital role in linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas, making it simpler to export and import commodities from Asian countries to European and African countries, and vice versa.
David vs Goliath: The Epic Military Mismatch Between Palestine and Israel
While the mainstream media is cognizant of the military discrepancy between Israel and the Palestinians, the consequences of this discrepancy are almost never commented on.
The Controversial Oil Deal Between Pakistan and Russia
The Ukraine-Russian war has completely altered the global economic landscape. Prices of energy have rampantly increased, embargoes have been placed upon Russia, and chaos has erupted across the world.
Amidst these turbulent times, Pakistan’s economy is maybe suffering the most. To keep its foreign reserves from falling further, Pakistan must seek out discounted energy imports. A deal with Russia would most certainly be welcomed as a respite for the energy-strapped nation.
A Guide to the US Midterms 2022
In the 2022 US midterm elections, Republicans were able to secure the 218 seats needed to control the House of Representatives against the Democrats’ 212 seats. The Senate will remain with the Democrats, however, bringing the US to a political standstill.
Although Republicans now have hold of the House, it would still be a challenge for them to pass any legislation without the Senate Democrats and the President.
Operation Condor: US Interference in Latin America
Maryam Yasmeen provides a comprehensive description of the Latin American post-war political culture. Latin America is a region with a history of constant foreign interference, particularly by the US.
For instance, the US’s Operation Condor aimed to install military dictatorships in eight Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, among others.
Black Feminism in Latin America
Prominent in political and social contexts, Latin American feminism is defined by the marginalization of native populations, colonialism, and the enslavement of African people.
In Latin America, different forms of discrimination are often connected to gender-based violence.
