Jaffar Express to once again depart Quetta on Friday
Pakistan’s Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi announced the resumption of train services in Balochistan province on Wednesday, following a terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express earlier this month. He also added that trains will depart from the province on every day of the week instead of just two days. According to Abbasi, the Jaffar Express will depart […]
Pakistan, China discussing security for Chinese nationals: Ambassador
Islamabad is working with Beijing to enhance security measures for Chinese nationals in Pakistan, according to Ambassador Khalil Hashmi. Speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan, China, Hashmi acknowledged the ongoing security concerns stemming from separatist militant attacks targeting Chinese citizens in Balochistan province, Reuters reported. These attacks are fuelled by the militants’ […]
IMF reaches agreement on bailout review, $1.3 billion climate fund with Pakistan
Pakistan’s government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have reached a staff-level agreement on two key fronts: the first review of Pakistan’s existing $7 billion bailout program, and a new $1.3 billion loan specifically for climate resilience. Pending IMF board approval, this agreement will unlock approximately $1 billion from the existing bailout, bringing total disbursements […]
‘Pakistan Democracy Act’ tabled in US Congress
A bipartisan bill introduced in the US House of Representatives seeks sanctions against Pakistani officials for alleged human rights abuses, including the ‘persecution’ of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The “Pakistan Democracy Act,” sponsored by Republican Representative Joe Wilson and Democrat Jimmy Panetta, calls for sanctions on Pakistan’s army chief within 180 days unless human […]
Visits by US, Pak delegations to Afghanistan could signal a new thaw in diplomacy
A United States delegation accompanied by former envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Adam Seth Boehler surprisingly visited Kabul on March 20, generating headlines across the globe. Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi met the US delegation in Afghanistan. The visit came at a time when speculation is growing that the Donald Trump administration is […]
The Jaffar Express Hijacking: A Case Study in Fifth-Generation Warfare and Regional Geopolitics
The Jaffar Express hijacking in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has left the nation shaken and echoed in the geopolitical quiverings of South Asia. This was not an isolated act of terror but a demonstration of modern-day insurgency revealed by the very complexity of conflict in the region. The incident has brought to light the changing tactics […]