The brutal massacre of 25 Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), backed by Pakistan has sent shock waves across the world. Many global leaders have condemned this barbaric attack and have pledged their solidarity against Terrorism. This was the deadliest attack in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. As per the eyewitnesses, the terrorists opened fire on the tourists, rounded them up and asked for their religion. The tourists were even asked to recite the ‘Kalma’ and their pants were unzipped to identify Muslims.
Category: Analysis
Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos: Flexing Muscles to Hide Weak Knees
The operation, named after a Quranic term meaning “a solid structure,” targeted key Indian military installations, including the BrahMos missile storage facility in Beas and airbases in Udhampur and Pathankot. During the 3rd Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) briefing headed by foreign secretary Vikram Misri Read along with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force, refuted Pakistan’s claim of attacking BrahMos storage site in Jammu.
Operation Sindoor: Justice is Served by the Indian Army
The attack on (mostly Hindu) tourists triggered a nation wide call for swift military action and the same was promptly delivered by the Indian Armed Forces during early hours on 7th May 2025, codenamed Operation Sindoor. This article is a general briefing about the India’s swift military operation against Pakistan followed by ongoing retaliatory attacks and ending with aftermath along with remarks containing public and international reactions.
Decoding the Pahalgam Terror Attack through an Intelligence Lens
While my previous article (commentary) discussed the potential link between these two attacks and how they fit into the ongoing proxy conflict between India and Pakistan — more specifically between their respective intelligence agencies, namely the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — in this article, I argue that Pakistan’s military, particularly its Special Service Group (SSG) (Pakistan’s special forces), must be behind this attack, with planning support from the ISI-backed groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and The Resistance Front (TRF).
India and the FATF: Earning the Watchdog’s Praise
In a move, though not as relatively new as it is significant, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to place India in the “Regular Follow-Up” category, its highest rating category. For perspective, the FATF places the member countries into four groups: Regular follow-up, Enhanced follow-up, Grey list, and Black list (ordered from best to worst). With this, India joined the umbrella of France, Italy, and the UK. There is a comprehensive list of criteria which a member under evaluation needs to meet in order to find a place in the above list.
The Vital Role of Cultural Diplomacy in International Relations
Apart from the traditional notion of hard power that involves quantifiable military and economic might, soft power as a facet of power has found political resonance in the realm of international relations in recent decades. Pioneered by Harvard scholar Joseph Nye, soft power is a non-coercive facet of power that has become increasingly important in maintaining hegemony in the world. Soft power entails the art of subtly influencing outcomes by shaping the preferences of other countries and actors outside your own country via the tactics of attraction, appeal, and persuasion.
Trump’s Middle East Gamble
Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term in January 2025, the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East has undergone profound changes. The administration’s renewed assertiveness has reignited longstanding disputes and strategic rivalries, most notably among Iran, Israel, and the United States. This article provides a comprehensive, practical analysis of these developments—detailing U.S. military engagements, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel’s strategic recalculations, and the broader regional and international ramifications.
Geopolitics of Rwanda-Congo Conflict: Regional Tensions by M23
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has long been plagued by conflict, with the eastern region serving as a battleground for various armed groups. Among these, the March 23 Movement (M23) has emerged as one of the most significant, with its resurgence in recent years once again drawing attention to the deep-seated tensions between Rwanda and the DRC. This article provides a historical background to the conflict, focusing on M23’s origins, its ties to Rwanda, and the broader geopolitical implications, including international exposure and the failures of global diplomacy.
Balochistan Terror Attack: A New Phase in Insurgency?
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest yet most underdeveloped province, has been a hotspot for insurgency, terrorism, and geopolitical contestation. The recent terror attack in Balochistan, which targeted security forces, infrastructure, and civilians, has once again underscored the province’s precarious security situation. Beyond its domestic impact, the attack carries significant regional and international implications, particularly for Pakistan’s relations with India, China, Iran, and Western powers. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the attack’s origins, the regional and global responses, and the effectiveness of counterterrorism efforts.
Afghan Refugee Crisis: Assessing Pakistan’s Shifting Policies
Least-developed countries host the largest number of refugees, according to UNHCR. In Asia and the Pacific, 90% of all refugees are concentrated in three nations: Iran (3.4 million), Pakistan (1.7 million), and Bangladesh (952,400), with Iran and Pakistan sheltering one of the largest Afghan refugee populations. Once a safe haven for Afghans fleeing persecution, Pakistan’s stance has now drastically shifted. The Pakistan Interior Ministry has advised all Afghan nationals to leave by March 31, 2025, with Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders required to depart voluntarily before the deadline or face deportation from April 1, 2025. This directive falls under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program (IFRP), in effect since November 1, 2023.