A Separatist group in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has killed 74 people in multiple attacks within 24 hours. The militants specifically targeted the civilians belonging to Punjab after stopping vehicles on the national highway in Musa Khel district. They hold that their fight is against the country’s military. This has sparked outrage around the country and has spread fear among the citizens.

The situation in South Asia over the past few weeks has been marked by a number of notable events, of which the dramatic developments in Bangladesh deserve special attention. Her departure was provoked by mass demonstrations in which students and other young people played a decisive role…

Political uncertainty looms large over the South Asian region. Governments in all the regional countries are suspicious about their future. A massive uprising in Bangladesh and the consequent ouster of the country’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajid has significantly impacted the neighboring countries. This inculcated fear among the governments of the neighboring countries. In Pakistan, the government was already facing public backlash due to the alleged sham elections.

In Pakistan, a de facto nuclear-armed state, there are growing signs of a sharp deterioration in the domestic political situation. Generally speaking, it is not easy to identify a period of at least a few years in Pakistan’s domestic political life over the past two to three decades that could not be defined as a “crisis”…

Pakistan has long been vying for expanding its economic relations with the Central Asian countries. The state resolved to follow a foreign policy based on geo-economics under the tenure of the PTI, abandoning the previous one based on geostrategic issues. The Central Asian region holds immense economic potential. The Pakistani leadership has been engaging with different Central Asian countries to materialize this ambition. The landlocked Central Asian countries could also benefit from cordial relations with Pakistan, as the latter can provide them access to the deep sea.

The International Transport Corridor (INSTC) was established in September 2000 by Iran, Russia, and India in St. Petersburg. The corridor expanded with the admission of 13 major corridor member countries such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkey. INSTC connects India to the Caspian Sea, Russia, and Northern Europe through Iran. By bypassing the Suez Canal, INSTC is 40% shorter and 30% cheaper than traditional routes in terms of distance and time.

The recent elections in different parts of the world are deciding factors in shaping the future of the globe. Various South Asian countries also held general elections during the first half of 2024. Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India – some of the SAARC members, also held general elections during this time, while elections in Sri Lanka are also likely to be held before October this year. These general elections in the SAARC countries will not only decide the future trajectories of these countries but will also be the pivotal determinants of the fate of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Pakistan’s political culture has never been truly democratic since the country’s inception. Democracy has been derailed numerous times by the state’s establishment of the country since its creation. The non-democratic forces controlling the Pakistani state have been using different politicians and political parties to achieve their ambitions. Allegedly, the incumbent Pakistani government is also supported by the deep state.

Relations between Pakistan and Russia have been improving for the previous few years. Historically, both countries have observed numerous fluctuations in their bilateral relations. The leaders of the two nations met at the 24^th SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. Despite geopolitical impediments, both leaders demonstrated their desire to promote bilateral relations between the two sides.

The first phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has been completed and the project has entered into its second phase. This phase provides great opportunities for Pakistan, China, Africa, the Gulf States, and the Central Asian countries to increase their mutual trade and connect with the rest of the world in a much more secure and efficient way, decreasing their trade cost and increasing security.

Two South Asian neighbors, Iran and Pakistan, had been planning to construct a gas pipeline between the two sides since the 1990s. The two sides finally decided to construct the pipeline in the 2^nd decade of the century. Since then, the US sanctions on Iran are proving formidable for the completion of this project. Recently, the two sides once again decided to resume and complete this project. However, the United States have once again warned Pakistan of economic sanctions if it resumed the construction of the project.

Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment’s recent report reveals that the country observed an unprecedented increase in migration in the last two years. Pakistan is facing difficulties in multiple sectors due to this brain drain. The key reason behind this high level of migration is Pakistan’s economic and political instability. The country needs to take significant measures to stop this loss of skillful youth…