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Diplomacy & geopolitics

Pakistan’s engagement with the Gaza Board reflects a realist-humanitarian strategy that prioritizes influence, outcomes, and Palestinian rights over symbolic disengagement or diplomatic isolation.

Pakistan, Gaza, and the Case for Realist-Humanitarian Diplomacy

SAT Commentary January 28, 2026

As Gaza endures a prolonged humanitarian catastrophe, Pakistan’s decision to engage with the Board of Peace reflects a calculated shift from symbolic diplomacy to realist-humanitarianism. Rather than retreating into moral posturing, Islamabad has chosen presence as leverage, seeking to shape aid delivery, protect Palestinian priorities, and influence outcomes from within imperfect multilateral structures.

Pakistan’s decision to join Gaza’s Board of Peace exposes a stark dilemma: strategic engagement to influence outcomes, or moral complicity in a managed peace that sidelines Palestinians.

Realpolitik or Moral Complicity? Pakistan and Gaza’s Board of Peace

SAT Editorial Desk January 22, 2026

Pakistan’s entry into Gaza’s Board of Peace marks a historic departure from its traditional Palestinian policy. As Islamabad navigates an extra-legal, US-led governance framework that excludes Hamas and sidelines sovereignty, the question looms large: is participation a tool of influence, or an act of moral complicity?

Andy Halus’s interview signals a shift in US–Pakistan relations toward minerals, education, and soft power, marking a post-security partnership in 2026.

The New Architecture of US–Pakistan Relations

SAT Commentary January 9, 2026

Andy Halus’s interview signals a strategic shift in US–Pakistan relations from security-centric ties to a multidimensional partnership centered on minerals, education, and soft power. Projects like Reko Diq now stand as the key test of this new architecture.

Examining how the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is transforming Pakistan from an infrastructure-dependent economy into a regional hub for modern manufacturing, industrialization, and blue-economy growth through strategic Chinese partnerships.

CPEC 2.0 and Pakistan’s Journey Toward Industrialization and Maritime Growth

SAT Commentary January 30, 2026

CPEC is driving Pakistan’s structural economic transition. By shifting focus from infrastructure to industrialization, value-added manufacturing, and maritime development, Pakistan is integrating into global supply chains and repositioning itself as a regional production hub.

The EU–India FTA reveals a deep structural asymmetry, exposing Indian industry to European dominance while reinforcing dependency through tariffs, CBAM, and non-tariff barriers.

The Asymmetry at the Heart of the EU–India FTA

SAT Commentary January 28, 2026

Presented as a landmark of global economic integration, the EU–India Free Trade Agreement masks a deeply unequal structure. While India dismantles protective tariffs central to its industrial base, European firms retain advantages through subsidies, non-tariff barriers, and green protectionism. Rather than enabling industrial upgrading, the deal risks locking India into a dependent trade pattern, importing high-value capital goods while exporting low-value products, undermining the very logic of Make in India.

EU–Pakistan Business Forum 2026

SAT Commentary January 20, 2026

The EU–Pakistan Business Forum 2026 marks a strategic pivot toward diversified, ESG-driven investment, de-risked finance, and regulatory alignment beyond GSP+ trade ties.

The Weaponization of the Rivers

SAT Editorial Desk January 2, 2026

The Indus Waters Treaty is facing its gravest test as India’s unilateral actions on the Chenab transform water from a shared resource into a tool of coercion. In a climate-stressed region, disrupted river flows and suspended data sharing threaten Pakistan’s agrarian economy, food security, and regional stability.

No United Front: How Regional Failure Blocks Climate Action in South Asia

Aisha Nazir December 30, 2025

Despite being one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, South Asia remains deeply fragmented. From failed COP coordination to weak regional institutions, political rivalries and elite interests undermine collective climate action, leaving millions exposed to escalating environmental risks

Nuclear Technology at COP30: What It Means for Pakistan’s Clean Energy Goals

Hira Bashir December 2, 2025

At COP30, nuclear energy emerged as a key solution for global clean-energy transitions. For Pakistan, expanding nuclear power, especially through Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), offers a path to cleaner, reliable electricity, despite challenges like high costs and restricted technology access.

An analysis of how India’s recurring Nipah virus cases expose transparency gaps, cross-border risks, and the mechanisms through which neighbouring states like Pakistan adopt preventive surveillance measures.

Nipah Virus and the Dynamics of Regional Biosecurity

SAT Commentary January 31, 2026

The 2025–2026 Nipah virus cases in India illustrate that high-risk pathogens are not confined by national borders. Through selective disclosure, delayed reporting, and episodic containment, outbreaks compel neighbouring states to implement proactive biosecurity measures, highlighting the strategic significance of regional health governance.

Examining how women’s empowerment in Pakistan has evolved from a social aspiration into a core driver of productivity, innovation, and inclusive national development.

The Empowerment Dividend

SAT Commentary January 30, 2026

Women’s empowerment in Pakistan is a catalyst for progress, fueling economic growth, innovation, and stronger governance. Empowered women are shaping the nation’s future and driving measurable development gains.

Pakistan’s intelligence-based counterterrorism operations in Tirah Valley demonstrate a calibrated, lawful, and civilian-centered approach to dismantling entrenched extremist sanctuaries.

The Operational Reality on Ground.

SAT Commentary January 30, 2026

Tirah Valley, long exploited by Kharij networks and their facilitators, has been subjected to sustained intelligence-based operations (IBOs) rather than any conventional military offensive. Grounded in intelligence, community engagement, and the Bagh Joint Action Plan (BJAP), Pakistan’s approach prioritizes civilian protection, targeted neutralization of terrorists, and the restoration of long-term stability, countering persistent propaganda with verifiable facts.

Operation Herof II and the Reality of Terrorism in Balochistan

SAT Commentary January 31, 2026

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has launched Operation Herof II, attempting to destabilize Pakistan’s southwestern region. Despite heavy militant losses and civilian targeting, Pakistan’s security forces maintain operational control, demonstrating preparedness and resilience.

Analyzing how political propaganda, selective outrage, and narrative construction around Tirah Valley reveal contrasting priorities between public rhetoric and political action in Pakistan.

Narrative, Priorities, and the Politics of Selective Outrage

Alisha Zahra January 31, 2026

The discourse surrounding Tirah Valley highlights a widening gap between political narrative and humanitarian reality. While propaganda targets security forces, political action reveals where priorities truly lie.

As instability spreads from Afghanistan’s north, Tajikistan faces renewed militant pressure, exposing the limits of regional security guarantees and Taliban governance.

The Return of Insurgency in Central Asia

SAT Editorial Desk January 19, 2026

A series of cross-border incidents along the Afghanistan–Tajikistan frontier has raised fears of a renewed insurgent threat in Central Asia. As militant networks regroup in northern Afghanistan, regional governments are questioning long-held assumptions about Taliban governance, Russian security guarantees and the durability of the post-Soviet order.