Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Syed Fazl-e-Haider is a contributing analyst at the South Asia desk of Wikistrat. He is a freelance columnist and the author of several books including the Economic Development of Balochistan (2004). He has contributed articles and analysis to a range of publications including Dawn, The Express Tribune, Asia Times, The National (UAE), Foreign Affairs, Daily Beast, New York Times, Gulf News, South China Morning Post, and The Independent.
Contact Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Articles by Syed Fazl-e-Haider
Kazakhstan and Afghanistan Sign Protocol of Intention on Railway Construction
Executive Summary: Kazakhstan and Afghanistan signed a protocol of intent on April 24 to jointly develop the Turgundi–Herat–Kandahar–Spin Boldak railway, including a logistics hub in Herat and fiber optic infrastructure
Uzbekistan Seeks Stronger Cooperation with Afghanistan
Executive Summary: Tashkent is positioning itself as a mediator between Taliban-led Afghanistan and the international community, advocating for integration rather than isolation since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Emerges as Competitor to Kazakhstan’s Rail Network
Executive Summary: Kazakhstan launched a new container rail service linking the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Poland, reinforcing its position as a vital transit hub through Eurasia. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
TAPI Pipeline to Remain Failure Without India and Pakistan’s Participation
Executive Summary: Turkmenistan is eager to accelerate the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline to sell its natural resources to the energy-starved countries of Pakistan and India. Due to
Central Asia Faces Potential Water Shortage as Afghanistan’s Canal Project Nears Completion
Executive Summary: Afghanistan has completed over 80 percent of the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal—an irrigation project funded by the Taliban aimed at ensuring the country’s grain self-sufficiency
Kremlin to Remove Taliban From List of Terrorist Organizations
Executive Summary: Moscow announced that it plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations to normalize relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to combat terrorism in the region.
Pakistan Strengthens Azerbaijan’s Military Muscle
Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed a $1.6 billion arms deal in September to supply Azerbaijan with the joint Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, strengthening the military partnership
Moscow and Islamabad Discuss LNG Cooperation
Executive Summary: Pakistan and Russia are discussing a potential liquefied natural gas pipeline (LNG) to deliver Russian LNG to Pakistan, opening another market for Russia’s sanctions-bound energy industry. Another project
Turkmenistan Resumes Work on TAPI Pipeline Despite Geopolitical Hurdles
Executive Summary: Earlier this month, a critical section of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was inaugurated on the border between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. The pipeline aims to reshape the
India Becomes Armenia’s Largest Defense Supplier
Executive Summary: Armenia is increasingly turning to India for military support, making significant purchases of Indian-made weapon systems, including the Akash-1S air defense system, as part of a $2 billion
India Launches Russian Stealth Frigates as New Delhi and Moscow Strengthen Defense Partnership
Executive Summary: Since February 2022, India and Russia have significantly expanded their military and defense cooperation, with New Delhi launching the first of two Russian-supplied advanced stealth frigates for the
Geopolitical Tensions Complicate Proposed Kazakhstan–Turkmenistan–Afghanistan Transit Corridor
Executive Summary: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan have agreed to develop a trilateral transit corridor that would connect India to Russia via the eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor.
TTP’s Killing of Chinese Citizens in Pakistan Presents Afghan Taliban with Dangerous Dilemma
Executive Summary: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or “Pakistani Taliban,” likely are responsible for a suicide attack that killed five Chinese engineers in Pakistan’s north on March 26. China may use
Attacks on South Asian Students and Workers Destabilize Kyrgyzstan
Executive Summary: A Kyrgyz mob stormed dormitories housing foreign students in Bishkek, targeting South Asian students and causing hundreds, possibly thousands, of foreign students to evacuate the country. The attack
Shifting Geopolitics Threaten to Shelve China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Project
Executive Summary: Beijing, Bishkek, and Tashkent have been discussing the construction of a joint railway project for almost 30 years, which runs the risk of completely unraveling due to geopolitical
Mullah Noorullah Noori: Afghan Taliban Leader Questions Border with Pakistan
Executive Summary Mullah Noorullah Noori has recently questioned the validity of the Durand Line, the internationally recognized border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, raising tensions between Kabul and Islamabad. Noori is
Central Asia Cracks Down on Drug Trafficking
Executive Summary: The Central Asian states are becoming more concerned with the surge in drugs being trafficked from Afghanistan since the Taliban retook power in 2021. The Taliban has banned
Focus on High-Value Military Targets Emphasizes the TJP’s Link to the TTP
Executive Summary The Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan's (TJP) assaults on high-profile military targets reflect a similar attack pattern to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP), providing additional evidence to the argument that the former
Afghanistan’s Canal Project Looks to Deepen Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan’s Water Woes
Executive Summary: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are facing severe water shortages, which Kabul plans to counter with the Qosh Tepa canal, which will likely exacerbate water issues in Central Asia.
Abdul Kabir: A Profile of the Taliban’s Former Acting Prime Minister Pro Tempore
From May to July, Maulvi Abdul Kabir served as acting prime minister pro tempore of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan for Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, who had been suffering from health problems (Etemaad,
CPEC at Ten: A Road to Nowhere
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The project was initially thought so significant that it
Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat: The Afghan Taliban’s Tajik “Commander of the North”
Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat is the military commander of the armed forces of the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA). An ethnic Tajik, Fitrat is currently leading the war on Islamic
TJP: A Front Group for the Pakistani Taliban?
On July 12, nine Pakistani army soldiers and five militants were killed after security forces retaliated for a “dastardly attack” on Zhob garrison in the northern part of Pakistan's southwestern
India Losing Its Steep Discount on Russian Crude Oil
The discount enjoyed by India on Russian crude oil since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has now shrunk from around $30 to $4 per barrel. Yet, while
A Profile of Wadhawa Singh Babbar: The Pakistan-Based Leader of the Pro-Sikh Babbar Khalsa International
Wadhawa Singh Babbar is the leader of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), or “Tigers of the True Faith,” which is a proscribed terrorist and separatist organization operating in India's state of
Revival of TAPI Pipeline Project Brings Serious Geopolitical Implications for Russia
Turkmenistan and Pakistan continue their talks on the revival of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) pipeline, and a bilateral meeting on the issue in Islamabad will be announced soon—possibly in late June
The Implications of the Arrest of Imran Khan on Pakistan’s Stability
[Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. Since the writing of this article, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared Imran Khan’s arrest “invalid and unlawful,” releasing him from jail
Escaping Justice Through Geopolitics in Pakistan: Jaish-e-Mohammed Leader Abdul Rauf Azhar
Mufti Abdul Rauf Azhar (Abdul Rauf) is the deputy leader of the Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), which was proscribed by Pakistan in 2002. The group is most notable for targeting
India: One of the Biggest Beneficiaries of the War in Ukraine
On April 10, during her first official visit to India after Russia launched its all-out war against Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova urged the Indian
Pakistan Taliban Shifts Strategy to Attack Police in Urban Areas
On February 17, the police chief’s office in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, was stormed by militants armed with grenades and automatic weapons. However, security forces killed at least three attackers
The Conviction and Sentencing of International Terrorist Sajid Majeed Mir
Sajid Majeed Mir was previously the deputy head of the international operations wing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a proscribed Pakistan-based militant group. The 44-year-old Mir has been a key player in
Is Pakistan Truly Sending Military Aid to Ukraine for Its Fight Against Russia?
On January 30, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov commended Pakistan for maintaining a neutral position in the Russo-Ukrainian war and vowed to fully cooperate with Islamabad in meeting its energy
A Portrait of Shahid Mehmood: Lashkar-e-Taiba’s International Financier
Shahid Mehmood is a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is a Pakistan-based proscribed terrorist group. Mehmood has been affiliated with LeT since 2007 and previously served as the deputy
Why Is Russia Recruiting Former Afghan Soldiers for Its War Against Ukraine?
According to multiple reports, Russia is recruiting Afghan security personnel, who were previously trained by the United States, for its war effort against Ukraine. The former Afghan elite commandos and
China-Pakistan Relations: The “All-Weather” Partnership Navigates Stormy Times
Introduction In a joint statement issued during Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s two-day visit to China in November, Beijing reiterated that relations with Islamabad will always be given the highest
Perils of ‘Water Wars’ in Central Asia
On November 3, Uzbekistani Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov and his Kyrgyzstani counterpart Jeenbek Kulubaev signed a bilateral deal in Bishkek, under which Kyrgyzstan agreed to cede to Tashkent the territory
In the Name of the Father: Ahmad Massoud’s Continuing Struggle Against Taliban Rule in Afghanistan
The 33-year old Ahmad Massoud is the leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF), which is an Afghan insurgent group waging an insurgency in the northern Panjshir Valley against the
Sindhi and Baluch Separatists Team Up to Target Chinese Interests in Pakistan
On September 28, a Chinese national was killed and two others were injured when an unidentified assailant opened fire at a dental clinic in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi, the
Russia’s Greater Eurasian Partnership Passes Through the CPEC
On September 27, the Taliban government in Afghanistan disclosed a deal it signed with Russia to import petroleum products and wheat at a discounted rate (Al Jazeera, September 28). The
China Increases Support for Pakistan’s Naval Modernization with an Eye on the Indian Ocean
Introduction In mid-July, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the Pakistan Navy (PN) held the “Sea Guardians-2” exercise in the waters off Shanghai (China Brief, October 4; Pakistan Television,
Al-Zawahiri’s Killing Raises Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan
On July 30, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who replaced Osama bin Laden in 2011, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan. U.S. President Joseph R. Biden announced his
Putin Sees Pakistan as Russia’s Priority Partner in South Asia
On September 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan, declared Pakistan
Abdul Rehman Makki: the Leader of Pakistani Militant Group Jamat-ud-Dawa
Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki is the leader of the Pakistani-based militant group, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD). The 74-year-old Makki is a U.S-designated terrorist and, under its Rewards for Justice program, the U.S has
Will the China-Pakistan Corridor Get a Boost with a New Government in Islamabad?
Introduction On June 10, the Foreign Office in Islamabad received a diplomatic communication from the Pakistani ambassador in Beijing (The News, June 13). China assured Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif,
Allah Nazar: The Face of Baluch Separatist Militancy in Pakistan
Allah Nazar is the leader of the Baluchistan Liberation Front (BLF), a banned militant group engaged in a war against Pakistan and seeking the independence of Baluchistan province. As a separatist
Pakistani Taliban Launches Spring Offensive amid Political Turmoil in Islamabad
On April 11, five policemen were killed when their patrol vehicle was ambushed by militants in Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (The News , April 12).
China and the Ongoing Political Crisis in Pakistan
Introduction The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is closely monitoring the rapidly developing political crisis in Pakistan. The current upheaval stems from the introduction in Parliament of a no-confidence vote
The Life and 50-Year Struggle of Baluch Nationalist Mir Yousuf Mastikhan
The 77-year old Mir Yousuf Mastikhan [1] is a veteran Baluch nationalist and separatist leader, who has continued his struggle with various political parties in Pakistan. Presently, Mastikhan is the
Is There an Iranian Connection to the Militancy in Pakistan’s Balochistan?
On February 14, Iran’s interior minister Dr. Ahmad Vahidi paid a visit to Pakistan against the backdrop of a recent spike in terrorist attacks by Baluch separatists on Pakistani security
Moscow, Beijing Play the ‘Pakistan Card’ to Crack the Quad Over Ukraine War
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin met one-on-one with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in Moscow. The two leaders discussed important regional and bilateral issues in a meeting
The China-India-Pakistan Triangle: China Strengthens Ties with Pakistan Amid Border Standoff with India
Introduction The failure of military talks in the fall to ease a one-and-half year border standoff between India and China could lead to further militarization of the Line of Actual Control
Pakistani Taliban to Benefit from Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Fencing Dispute
On December 18, 2021, Afghan Taliban soldiers disrupted the erection of a security fence by the Pakistani military along the two countries’ mutual border and seized spools of barbed wire
Sanan Khan Qureshi: A Pakistani Sindhi Nationalist Leader Struggling to Match His Predecessors
Sanan Khan Qureshi is the current chairman of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (“Long live Sindh Nationalist Front,” or JSQM), a Sindhi nationalist and separatist political organization in Pakistan’s southern province of
Pakistan’s Deal with Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan: Statesmanship or Surrender?
On November 1, supporters of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) abandoned their two-week long protests and marched to the Pakistani capital Islamabad after the group signed a deal with the government, whose details
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund: The UN-Sanctioned Theologian Leading the Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund is the new Prime Minister of Afghanistan in the Taliban's interim government formed in September (Dawn, September 7). The Taliban captured Kabul on August 15, but
Tajikistan-Afghanistan Tensions a Hurdle for Russia-Taliban Relations
The governments of Russia and Pakistan are uneasy over the continued tensions between Tajikistan and the Taliban-led Afghanistan, and they are urging both neighbors to exercise restraint. The exchange of
Opportunities and Challenges for China’s Plans in Afghanistan
Introduction In a September meeting between China’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu and Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, China declared that its first batch of humanitarian aid will
China and Pakistan to Increase Counter-Terrorism Coordination with the Afghan Taliban
On July 14, thirteen people, including nine Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis, were killed and 28 others were injured when a bus carrying them to a construction site of the
Pakistani Separatist Renounces Anti-State Activities: Abdul Hameed Khan
On July 3, Abdul Hameed Khan, the former chief of the outlawed Balawaristan National Front (BNF Hameed group or BNF-H) formally announced his return to politics in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan
Pakistan Braces for U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan through Extra-Regional Partnerships
While the United States is expected to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan well before its September 11 deadline, the countries bordering the violence-plagued nation are enhancing their capacity to combat
Pakistan’s TTP Mounts Comeback Under New Leadership of Wali Mehsud
On May 5, four Pakistani soldiers were killed and six injured on the Pakistani-Afghan border in the Baluchistan region when militants opened fire from Afghan territory, where Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
‘Creating Anarchy in the Country’: The TLP’s New Challenges Under Saad Hussain Rizvi
Saad Hussain Rizvi is the emir, or chairman, of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a right-wing politico-religious party, which Pakistani authorities banned in April under the country's anti-terrorism laws. In November 2020,
The Pulwama Suicide Bombing and Youth Radicalization in India-Administered Kashmir
Introduction On April 2, Indian forces launched a counter-terrorism operation in a village in the Pulwama district of India-administered Kashmir, killing three people. They were allegedly involved in the murder
Pakistan’s Dual Counter-Terrorism Challenges: Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s Merger and Cross-Border Campaign from Afghanistan
On February 26, Nooristan, known as Hasan Baba, was killed by Pakistani security forces. He was a commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who had been involved in the murder
Islamic State Khorasan Province Attack on Hazaras Endangers Pakistan’s Baluchistan Province
On January 3, 11 coal miners from the minority Hazara Shiite community were killed in Pakistan’s western Baluchistan province, reflecting the increasing security challenge in the restive province bordering Afghanistan
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
Introduction Since its advent in 2015, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)—an ambitious program of infrastructure development projects primarily financed by Chinese capital and built by Chinese state-owned companies—has been a
China’s Deepening Diplomatic and Economic Engagement in Afghanistan
Introduction On February 29, U.S. and Taliban representatives signed the “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan” in Doha, Qatar, which laid out a framework for ending the 18-year old conflict
The Strategic Implications of Chinese-Iranian-Russian Naval Drills in the Indian Ocean
Introduction In early December, Major General Shao Yuanming (邵元明), the Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), traveled
INSTC vs. BRI: The India-China Competition Over the Port of Chabahar and Infrastructure in Asia
Introduction The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the central component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in South Asia, has been a source of significant attention and controversy (China Brief,