Nestled in the heart of Peshawar, Namak Mandi is a treasure trove of Pakistan’s untapped gemstone wealth, pulsating with the energy of traders, artisans, and buyers who have kept the ancient tradition of gemstone trade alive for generations. Despite its immense potential, the industry has largely remained informal, functioning within a $300 million shadow economy. However, a transformation is on […]

At a recent gathering in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, Mawlawi Amanuddin Mansoor, commander of the Taliban’s 217 Omari Corps, boasted that he could capture neighboring Tajikistan if given permission. His words were laced with contempt for Tajiks and a brazen dismissal of Russia’s deterrence due to its entanglement in Ukraine. While it may be tempting to dismiss this as mere bravado, […]

The China–Taiwan Weekly Update is a joint product from the Institute for the Study of War and the American Enterprise Institute. The update supports the ISW–AEI Coalition Defense of Taiwan project, which assesses Chinese campaigns against Taiwan, examines alternative strategies for the United States and its allies to deter the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) aggression, and—if necessary—defeat the People’s Liberation […]

On March 16, 2025, a bomb explosion near a bus carrying security forces in the Noshki district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province killed at least five officers and injured dozens of people, according to police authorities. The attack comes less than a week after a deadly train hijacking incident in the southwestern province. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility on […]

The long-drawn out armed secessionist movement in Balochistan (Pakistan’s largest and poorest province) is evolving into more dangerous and sophisticated forms, posing a significant challenge to the country’s stability. In a daring and novel attack last Tuesday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Quetta-Peshawar Jaffar Express, carrying nearly 400 passengers, near a series of mountain tunnels 160 km from […]

Swami Dayanand declared (in the first Charter of the Arya Samaj) ‘the well-being of the whole humanity will be the objective of the Samaja’. Two years later, in 1877, he expressed among the principles of the Arya Samaj that of doing good to the whole world, while improving the physical, spiritual, and social conditions of humanity. April 2025 will mark […]

Mounting lawlessness in Bangladesh has triggered widespread street protests against the inaction and incompetence of the Muhammad Yunus-led Interim Government. US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has expressed America’s concern in no uncertain terms. Neighbouring India is helplessly watching the deterioration in governance at its very doorstep. While Bangladeshi politicians are interminably debating post-Hasina political reforms, elections, and ways to neutralize […]

Tripura remains free of terrorism. The year 2024 marked a milestone achievement in the state of Tripura, where Chief Minister Manik Saha announced the state “insurgent-free or zero insurgency” with the signing of the peace agreement, the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), on September 4, 2024, between the Government of India (GoI), the Government of Tripura, the National Liberation Front of […]

“The bickering nation”. This one sentence aptly describes the current state of Pakistan, where the two major terrorist/insurgent formations – the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella group of 56 terrorist outfits, and the Baloch insurgents – have created havoc. A third terrorist group – the Islamic State – is also on a rampage. Meanwhile, the political landscape is turbulent, while […]

India is a unique country with an extraordinary level of social and cultural diversity. More than 1.4 billion Indians speak approximately 780 languages (22 of which are official). India is home to some of the world’s oldest civilizations, such as the Indus Valley Civilization and the Vedic Civilization, and it also houses sacred sites for Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religions. […]