
Latest Articles about South Asia

The Khurasan Mujahideen Seek to Eliminate Espionage in Waziristan
Although Pakistani Taliban militants have killed hundreds of people accused of spying for the United States or Pakistan’s intelligence agencies over the past few years in the lawless tribal areas of North and South Waziristan, the incidents of such execution are on rise since the... MORE

The PLA’s “Orient Express”: Militarization of the Iron Silk Road
China’s rise on the international stage has been accompanied by an increase in its military's presence. Beijing's expanding ambition is prompting calls on the country's leaders to be more proactive in protecting its national interests. These calls by Chinese analysts have raised concerns about the... MORE

Taliban Regroups in Pakistan’s Dir Region after Successful Government Offensive
Despite the Pakistani government’s announcement that its military offensive in the mountainous Dir region of northwest Pakistan had succeeded in securing the area, recent attacks by militants of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have not only belied the military’s claims but have also whipped up fear... MORE

Muhammad Yasin Malik: From Underground Militant Leader to Kashmir’s Gandhi
Background Muhammad Yasin Malik, the leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), has undergone a 15-year transformation from underground militant leader fomenting violence to an advocate for a non-violent solution to the festering crisis plaguing South Asia’s northernmost tier for decades. He describes... MORE

Government Offensive Triggers Taliban Reprisal Attacks in Pakistan’s Mohmand Agency
The ongoing anti-Taliban offensive in Pakistan’s Mohmand Agency has triggered a humanitarian emergency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) as well as the prompting of Taliban militants to carry out revenge attacks against security forces beyond the zone of operations. Thousands of civilians have... MORE

India’s Relations With Tajikistan: Beyond the Airbase
India’s pursuit of a stronger global role and its competition with Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan has over the past two decades pushed New Delhi towards closer engagement with Central Asia. Tajikistan has become India’s main point of entry into the region, mainly due to... MORE

TAPI and CASA-1,000: Energy Geopolitics on Whose Terms?
As Central Asia opened up to the rest of the world after the collapse of the Soviet Union opportunities have emerged for the regional countries to build links with Europe, South-East Asia, and the Middle East. This has proved to be significant in the development... MORE

Fresh Violence Threatens to Make Karachi the New Mogadishu
Karachi, Pakistan’s most populous city and its commercial capital, is yet again in the throes of violence. With Karachi generating 68% of the government’s revenue and 25% of the country’s gross domestic product, the implications for Pakistan are serious. The first three weeks of 2011... MORE
A Profile of Maulana Sadiq Noor: A Central Player in the North Waziristan Taliban
While Hafiz Gul Bahadur Wazir occupies the central leadership position of the Taliban in North Waziristan, Maulana Sadiq Noor is credited for building the North Waziristan Taliban and instigating the group to wage jihad against the Pakistani security forces prior to the September 2006 North... MORE

Tajikistan and Pakistan at a Crossroads: Energy, Trade and Transport Across Central and South Asia
Pakistan and Tajikistan have actively advanced their partnership in the energy, trade and transport spheres in recent months. The three pillars of cooperation are crucial components of the national strategies of these countries in bilateral and multilateral formats as they seek to break their relative... MORE