The Propaganda War Between India and Pakistan Post-Pulwama
After the Pulwama attack in India, tensions between both Pakistan and India rose rapidly. The escalation eventually culminated in an aerial dogfight where an Indian MiG-21 was downed by Pakistan and its pilot, Abhinandan, captured.
To save face, India began a propaganda campaign claiming that a Pakistani F-16 was downed by India. This led to a massive war of words between both countries characterized by lies, jingoism, hyperbole, and nationalism.
While both countries’ media were to be blamed for the preceding, the Indian media was more culpable for displaying such negative traits. Eventually, this propaganda war was settled by international news agencies and organizations that corrected many false Indian claims, especially the one relating to the alleged downed Pakistani F-16.
The final nail in the coffin was when a US inventory check asserted that no Pakistani F-16s were missing and therefore Pakistan came out as the victor in the dogfight as well as the propaganda war.
The Role of Hydropolitics in Pakistan’s Water Crisis
Ayesha Javaid discusses how Pakistan has been embroiled in politics over water resources since its independence – at both local and international levels.
Pakistan and India initially had disagreements over the Indus Basin, which was finally settled by the Indus Water Treaty in 1960. However, with India now demanding modifications in the 62-year-old treaty, serious water-based conflicts between the two countries are a likely possibility.
Pakistan also faces water troubles within, as provincial governments have failed to reach an agreement over the much-needed construction (& even usage) of dams.
The Great Gama: The Greatest Wrestler of His Time
With an undefeated track record over the course of his five-decade-long career, Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt from the Indian subcontinent was one of the greatest wrestlers of the early 20th century.
He’s more commonly known and recognized by the name he earned from his winning streak, the Great Gama. Even Bruce Lee was inspired by the champion’s diet and exercise regime. Following the partition, he moved to Pakistan and lived there till his death in 1960.
Waning US Hegemony, De-Dollarization, & the Incoming War with China
With the US’s foreign policy failures, its domestic rifts, and the China-led de-dollarization initiative, the current global landscape finds itself in a state of upheaval.
Sarmad Ishfaq explains that the steady decline of the US’s hegemony and the simultaneous rise of China will lead to an imminent conflict between the two, resulting in the US’s demise and the birth of a new world order.
Universalizing Nuclear Nonproliferation Norms: A Regional Framework for the South Asian Nuclear Weapon States
In “Universalizing Nuclear Nonproliferation Norms: A Regional Framework for the South Asian Nuclear Weapon States”, Dr. Adil Sultan carefully considers the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (or simply, the NPT).
He examines the nuclear dynamics of South Asia in light of Pakistan and India’s approach toward disarmament and nonproliferation.
The Troubled Waters of River Brahmaputra
Hafiz Mohsin Nadeem believes it is critical to comprehend the physical and environmental characteristics of the Brahmaputra river in order to fully understand the water dispute and potential conflict among multiple nations, particularly India and China.
With China focusing its efforts on the growth of hydropower, India is concerned that water may soon become China’s geopolitical weapon in the Sino-Indian disputes.
Pakistan–India Adversarial Relations: Instability for South Asia
Even with both Pakistan and India being nuclear weapon states, strategic stability in South Asia is under constant stress.
Brig. Syed Mushtaq Ahmed (R) discusses how the US is continually supporting India, to control China’s influence in the region. This means the Indians are ramping up their military capacities – and Pakistan then has to reciprocate.
He goes on to explore regional and global dynamics, and then offers viable policies for Pakistan and India, to work towards the much-needed regional economic cooperation.
Who is Rahul Gandhi?
Rahul Gandhi, an MP until just recently and the descendant of Jawaharlal Nehru, has been sentenced to two years in prison for a four-year-old defamation case.
This sentence has been spurred by the popularity of Rahul Gandhi’s Congress Party and the success of the Unite India March against the BJP government.
BBC Documentary on Modi’s Role in the 2002 Gujrat Riots
On 17th January 2023, BBC released a documentary showing the role of Prime Minister Modi (then chief minister of Gujrat) in the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujrat. The program reveals atrocities that led to the death of over 1000 people in western Gujrat.
Soon after the documentary was released, the Indian government invoked emergency laws to ban its broadcast throughout the country.
The Relevance of Neorealism in Understanding the Kashmir Conflict
Neorealism views power as a tool for advancing the objectives of the state.
This paper reveals that, from a neorealist standpoint, the main objective of the Pakistan-India conflict regarding Kashmir is to advance national interests.
By incorporating Kashmir, the nation would gain enormous advantages in terms of social, political, and economic development due to the region’s abundance of resources and natural beauty.
The Adani Group: Haifa Port and the Accounting Fraud
India has been a popular participant in international politics recently. It has graced the headlines with its business tycoon, Gautam Adani.
The Indian billionaire was just hit with a major scandal of accounting fraud while also landing one of the most significant ports in the Middle East region, the Haifa Port of Israel.
A Biographical Sketch of Ashoka the Great
Ashoka the Great was an emperor of great prestige, influence, and cross-continental impact. As the third Mauryan emperor, he was widely known for his two life achievements: the conquest of Kalinga and the preaching of Buddhism.
The State During the British Raj: Imperial Governance in South Asia 1700-1947
Ilhan Niaz’s ‘The State During the British Raj: Imperial Governance in South Asia 1700-1947,’ takes upon itself to decipher the gradual evolution of institutionalism during the British Raj.
The author also tries to divulge the pattern of impersonalized governance, constitutionalism, civilian supremacy, meritocracy, and bureaucratic administration in the Indian subcontinent.
Then & Now: The Human Rights Violations in IOJK
Under the ill-conceived move of August 05, 2019, the BJP-led government of India, which draws its ranks from Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), introduced a new domicile law in IOJK titled “Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificates (Procedure) Rules, 2020”.
Noman Waheed argues that the perennial conflicts about Kashmir go all the way back to the Radcliffe Award. He also charts a way forward for the policymakers in Islamabad.
Assessing Nuclear Security in Pakistan & India
In South Asia, Pakistan has been subjected to growing criticism over the insecurity posed by its nuclear infrastructure. However, what’s commonly ignored is that the region houses another nuclear state—one that presents greater and deadly nuclear concerns.
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.
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.