The Plight of Afghan Women Under the Taliban
With Afghanistan having already become the victim of immense sanctions imposed upon it by the West, the Taliban’s recent ban on women’s education will only continue to disrupt the lives of the people of Afghanistan. Myra Imran Rafiq recommends intervention and engagement by international actors to minimize the cost of human suffering.
Greening Skills: TVET Sector’s Response to Environmental Issues
Environmental concerns are becoming increasingly important and hence they require our immediate attention. There is a need for young people to be trained in greening skills.
This article explores the importance of greening skills and how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector can play a pivotal role in addressing major environmental issues.
Calling for Social Justice in Classrooms
There is apparent social injustice in education, which is marked by inadequate efforts made towards minorities’ education, disparities in girls’ education, and the culturally irresponsive pedagogy widening racial segregation in Pakistan.
Iqra Abid believes that for an education system to be socially just, it must be built on inclusion, activism, reciprocal community relationships, and ethnographic narrative.
Why Pakistan Refuses to Sign the NPT
Of the nine nuclear-weapon states, only the P5 states have consented to be bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty or the NPT. Pakistan, India, North Korea, and Israel are not parties to the treaty.
In this piece, Hurria Binte Abdullah describes the three major reasons behind Pakistan’s resistance to the treaty.
The first reason is mistrust and disappointment with the US as a strategic and security ally, the second is India’s non-acceptance of the NPT, and the third is the fact that there are inherent loopholes within the NPT itself that raise concerns about future commitments and effectiveness of the treaty.
Prospects of a Technocratic Government in Pakistan
Rumors of technocracy have been echoing in Pakistan for a few weeks as the country’s economic plight worsens with each passing day.
A technocratic government is a form of government in which the ministers of the government are not politicians by career and do not necessarily belong to any political party.
The Case of the Twitter Files
In December 2022, Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, released the Twitter Files—the company’s internal emails, documents, and Slack conversations that revolve around company rules and critical decisions made before Musk took over.
Twitter’s controversial decision to censor the New York Post’s article on the information obtained from a laptop allegedly owned by Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is particularly significant here.
How a Bloody & Battered TTP Made a Comeback in Pakistan
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.
Exploring the India-China Border Dispute in Arunachal Pradesh
The absence of clear demarcations in the Arunachal Pradesh region has led to multiple conflicts between China and India. Tawang, the reason for the recent skirmish, is claimed by both India and China. Leveraging the tactical and cultural importance of the Tawang region in Arunachal Pradesh will undeniably provide a strategic advantage to either of the two nations.
An Introduction to Strategy
“An Introduction to Strategy” was originally published in French in 1965 by General André Beaufre. In his condensed book (138 pages), he defines military strategy before proceeding to discuss its patterns and evolution.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and International Security
Afaq Ahmad explores the potential benefits and challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) in intelligence gathering and analysis in the larger field of international security.
He holds that AI has the potential to significantly increase the efficiency, accuracy, and objectivity of intelligence gathering and analysis, particularly if the multi-dimensional concerns around it are addressed.
The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy
“The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy” by Lawrence Freedman, a renowned academic and historian, was first published in 1981.
The fourth edition of the book presents different political and regional developments that paved the way for policymakers to come up with different nuclear strategies at different times.
Tajikistan’s Geoeconomic Significance: Unfolding New Dimensions
According to certain economic assessments, Tajikistan has had consistent development since the end of the Tajik civil war in 1992, as well as an overall rise in the standard of living and foreign investment.
To Maha Afzal Chaudhary, the country’s great hydroelectric potential and geostrategic significance make it a prominent player in regional affairs.
Hindutva: Turning Secular India into a Hindu State
Hindutva has created divisions in Indian society by forging a ‘Muslim threat’ to legitimize the BJP’s anti-Muslim acts. Nishat Shuja analyzes Modi’s aim of creating a Hindu Rashtra (state) through Hindu supremacist policies and Muslim marginalization.
The 2019 Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomous status, and the Kerala hijab ban are cases in point for the systemic discrimination against the Muslim minority. Undoubtedly, PM Modi and right-wing Hindu nationalism threaten India’s constitutional foundations by creating a Hindu Rashtra.
Japan Approves Its Revolutionary National Security Strategy
Japan has unveiled an updated version of its National Security Strategy to ramp up the counterstrike capabilities of the self-defense force. The strategy consists of three documents: the National Security Strategy (NSS), the National Defense Strategy (NDS), and the Defense Buildup Program (DBP). Sajid Khan believes that the vital changes in Japan’s strategy have occurred because of the threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.
Digital Media and Credibility
In this piece, Abrish Nayyar covers the similarities and differences between digital natives—novel digital platforms—and legacy media, which refers to conventional media channels. After settling the distinction between the two, she argues that credibility and trust in both have waned.
Has Artificial Intelligence Become Sentient?
The debate around the sentience of artificial intelligence cropped up unexpectedly in June 2022 when Blake Lemoine, a Google engineer, experimented on LaMDA, an AI-driven chatbot.
The chatbot not only argued on philosophical questions but also demanded its rights. Sana Azhar determines if such conversations by a chatbot confirm the existence of sentient AI.
Pak-Afghan Clashes at the Chaman Border
The Taliban regime came into power by overtaking the Afghan government in August 2021. Despite the fact that Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize the Taliban government, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained contentious since then.
Deadly cross-border exchanges at the Chaman border on 13th November, 11th December, and 15th December have alarmed the people of the two states who fear a dramatic escalation of the conflict.