Sarmad Ishfaq

Sarmad Ishfaq is an independent researcher and writer whose work has been published by Harvard Kennedy School Review, the Diplomat, Open Democracy, Paradigm Shift, Mondoweiss, and Eurasia Review to name a few. He has also been published by several international peer-reviewed journals such as Taylor and Francis' Social Identities. Before becoming an independent writer, he worked as a research fellow for the Lahore Center for Peace Research. He has a master's degree in International Relations from the University of Wollongong in Dubai where he was recognized as the 'Top Graduate'.

Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, and Pakistan’s Historical Opposition to Israel

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 1:00 pm

There is a belief that Pakistan is solely opposed to Israel due to the latter’s post-independence atrocities against Palestine, but this is not the complete picture. Pakistan’s opposition to Israel can be traced back to the founding fathers like Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal who, through their speeches and policies, laid the groundwork for the nation’s pro-Palestine stance long before Pakistan or Israel came into existence.
Read More

How a Bloody & Battered TTP Made a Comeback in Pakistan

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 1:57 pm

It is difficult to understate the deadly threat of the TTP’s resurgence in Pakistan. With the country already in economic distress as it is, the growing militancy has further enfeebled the state. Sarmad Ishfaq deems three primary reasons for the TTP’s revival: the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, the peace negotiations with the TTP, and Imran Khan’s ouster.
Read More

David vs Goliath: The Epic Military Mismatch Between Palestine and Israel

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 7:00 pm

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.
Read More

Propaganda Against Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons: From “Islamic Bomb” to Biden’s Comments

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 8:19 pm

For decades, the West has had its eyes set on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, going as far as to stir up paranoia against it. The recent statement by President Joe Biden is just another notch in America’s extensive propaganda campaign against Pakistan. Sarmad Ishfaq points out the fallacies in the West’s perceived notion of Pakistan’s nuclear insecurity. He highlights how Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are secure and in turn proves that the countries questioning Pakistan have many nuclear-related issues themselves.
Read More

Crown of Blood: The Dark Side of Elizabeth II’s Legacy

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 9:11 pm

The death of Queen Elizabeth II prompted diametrically opposed viewpoints. One group mourns her loss, while the other deems her guilty of the Empire’s crimes. The brutal crimes were marked by colonialist ambitions and a penchant for slavery throughout the years. Sarmad Ishfaq recounts the Empire’s horrific brutalities against the people of India, Kenya, and Yemen (to name a few) and the Queen’s apathy towards it all.
Read More

Weather Warfare & Climate Modification – A War Without Weapons

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 12:00 pm

Though mostly recognized for its use by states like the UAE to produce more rainfall, weather modification can prove to be destructive if malicious intent is involved. Sarmad Ishfaq addresses America’s past weaponization of weather, namely Operation Popeye, and how the superpower has managed to exploit the Environmental Modification Convention (ENMOD) – a treaty on weather warfare. He argues that even in contemporary times, the possibility of the weather being used as a weapon cannot be ruled out.
Read More

A Cyclical Disaster: The 2022 Floods of Pakistan

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 12:31 pm

Having experienced severe political and climatic storms this year, Sarmad Ishfaq laments the difficult times ahead for Pakistan. These devastating floods are putting the economy under even more pressure. There is a strong possibility that food costs and unemployment will now surge to record highs.
Read More

Are Early Elections Inevitable after PTI’s Landslide Victory in Punjab?

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 11:35 am

Given PTI’s landslide victory in Punjab’s by-elections and the confidence of the masses in Imran Khan and his party, Sarmad Ishfaq states that PTI’s return to the federal government is imminent. He states that Imran Khan can now force early elections by either of these options: 1. Using his new majority in Punjab to pressurise PDM into dissolving the National Assembly 2. Resuming his ‘Long March’ & forcing PDM to step down 3. Dissolving the KPK & Punjab Assemblies. One thing is for certain: it has become untenable for the PDM to sustain its contentious stay in power.
Read More

Exposing Western Propaganda: How Russia is Winning the War

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 6:07 pm

The Russia-Ukraine war has been portrayed by the West with extreme prejudice. The American-European media has been demonizing Russia, while Ukraine, the second-most corrupt country in Europe (behind Russia), is being showcased as a champion of liberty and democracy. Where Russian war crimes are discussed ad nauseam, Ukraine’s Azov Regiment and its war crimes are obfuscated. Sarmad Ishfaq notes that despite Western sanctions and propaganda, the Russian ruble is surging and after re-orienting the war efforts towards the Donbas, Russia is indeed winning this war.
Read More

The Untimely Deaths of Dr. Rizwan, Malik Maqsood Chaprasi & Others: Coincidence or Conspiracy?

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 1:02 pm

Pakistan is a country where uncanny coincidences are commonplace. The sudden deaths of key figures in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case like Dr. Rizwan and Malik Maqsood Chaprasi have raised a few eyebrows. Sarmad Ishfaq details a few of these recent ‘sudden’ deaths and then discusses how such ‘random convenient coincidences’ have also taken place in the past.
Read More

The Instability in Pakistan & Afghanistan: How the US & India Benefit the Most

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 6:11 pm

Since the Taliban takeover, the situation in Afghanistan has continued to deteriorate to the point where the country is not only facing a humanitarian crisis but also an insurgency in the shape of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP). Moreover, Afghanistan’s neighbor – Pakistan – has experienced an increase in terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Amid the political crisis in Pakistan, these attacks have soured Pak-Afghan relations. The author, Sarmad Ishfaq, notes that the continued instability in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and their strained relations, are benefitting India and the United States the most.
Read More

Imran Khan vs the Supreme Court: Analyzing the Apex Court’s Verdict

Written by Aleena Imran and Sarmad Ishfaq 4:15 pm

Imran Khan’s premiership ended last night by a no-confidence vote. The events leading up to this have stirred a debate about the Supreme Court’s decision, with many people citing their dissatisfaction with the disregard for the letter and the court’s micromanagement of the Parliament’s proceedings. Aleena Imran and Sarmad Ishfaq explore horse-trading, the letter, the relevant articles of the Constitution, and what’s next for Imran Khan.
Read More

PTI vs PDM: Why Imran Khan Will Win Whether He Stays PM or Not

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 6:49 pm

All eyes were on Imran Khan during his historic jalsa in Islamabad on the 27th of March. In Pakistan’s recent political history, Imran Khan’s party has been the only one that has consistently garnered massive numbers, and this jalsa exceeded expectations. It transcended others not just because of the sheer volume of people but due to the impetuous political context that surrounds it. The author, Sarmad Ishfaq, believes that in either case, Imran Khan will win — and that the vote against him could embolden him more.
Read More

The Pakistan-Russia-China Bloc: A Consequence of US Actions?

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 11:45 am

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has stirred up bloc politics once again, pitting the West against the Russia-China bloc. Pakistan’s current government is clearly leaning towards the idea of a Pakistan-Russia-China bloc, but that foreign policy truly rests on the domestic political situation of the country. Amid the political uncertainty. the author, Mr Sarmad Ishfaq, illustrates how future policies pivot on the results of the no-confidence vote.
Read More

The United States of America: The Superpower of War Crimes, Terrorism, & Hypocrisy

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 11:47 am

When it comes to human rights and democracy, the United States of America tends to place itself on a high pedestal. The US’ false sense of righteousness and its tendency to ignore its own crimes while calling out other states has allowed it to remain on its high horse. The author, Sarmad Ishfaq, notes that the US has actively supported insurgencies and covert regime changes, initiated a nuclear arms race, and killed 22,000 civilians in airstrikes. No incident can better represent the US’ war crimes and hypocrisy than its bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet, despite it killing hundreds of thousands of people, the world turns a blind eye to America’s transgressions.
Read More

The 2008 Gaza Massacre: Israel’s Previous Incursion

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 11:47 am

This is a review of a study on the ‘Gaza Massacre’ which was launched by Israel in 2008 – where they killed over 1400 Palestinians. The study uses the Just-War Theory to delineate how Israel acted immorally and illegally during this operation – and many times in the past. Many human rights violations of the Palestinians were cited by international overseers, where they noted the cruelty of the Israeli forces.
Read More

Post-2020 Elections: The Looming U.S. Civil War

Written by Sarmad Ishfaq 10:47 am

With the culmination of the U.S. elections, the ineluctable civil war seems like a reasonably credible follow-up to the grim developments of 2020. America might not even get to experience the calm that is before the storm.
Read More
Close
Click to access the login or register cheese

Close