Covering Policy Issues from South Asia
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Brotherhood Of The Damned: Shabqadar, Pakistan And The (Re)-Making Of Taliban In Afghanistan0
- Blog
- March 26, 2018
pakistanpoint.com By Andrew Fraser 26/3/2018 Canadian Millitary Journal The resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan has generated not only a determined insurgency, but also the extraordinary emergence of suicide bombing as a method of warfare in the region. Beginning in 2004, Canadian ISAF forces alone were the target of nearly 40 suicide bombings. The
Sympathy fading in Bangladesh for Rohingya refugees1
- Blog
- March 22, 2018
Local Muslims are also struggling to survive and growing to resent the ‘favoritism’ shown to persecuted ethnic group Rohingya children carry firewood for cooking from nearby forests in Balukhali refugee camp, Cox’s Bazar on March 17. (Photo by Stephan Uttom/ucanews.com) Stephan Uttom, Cox’s Bazar and Rock Ronald Rozario, Dhaka Bangladesh March 22, 2018 In the middle
India: Muslims Welcome Move To Modernize Islamic Schools0
- Blog
- March 22, 2018
March 22, 2018 UCAN By Umar Manzoor Shah Muslim groups in India have welcomed a federal government move to modernize traditional Islamic schools so they can do more than teach students Islam-centered subjects and languages. Indian child rights groups recommend providing a broader curriculum at over 40,000 madrasas, the traditional Islamic schools that dot
Ultranationalist Buddhist Rhetoric In Sri Lanka1
- Blog
- March 22, 2018
By RSIS 22/3/2018 Anti-Muslim sentiments in Sri Lanka can be attributed to the spread of ultranationalist Buddhist rhetoric propagated by Buddhist extremist groups which use Buddhism to justify their narrative. The ambivalent nature of religion allows it to be interpreted by its adherents both as a source of violence and a source of peace. By
Pakistan: Special Economic Zones and CPEC0
- Blog
- March 15, 2018
by Qura Tul Ain Hafeez 16/3/2018 Economic Expansion, high prices, and inflation are the issues on which one can talk for hours. The scarcity of resources, energy crises and lack of industrial modernization are the challenges which Pakistan has been facing for past many decades. Despite the advantages of geographical setting, the country could
Missile Development in South Asia: Strategic Assessment of 20170
- Blog
- March 15, 2018
Asma Khalid 16/3/2018 The South Asia action-reaction dynamics and complex strategic geometry forces India and Pakistan to maintain qualitative and quantitative edge in strategic weapons. Both nuclear neighbors are tangled in traditional security competition and enhancing their strategic force capabilities rapidly. India’s pursuit of sophisticated technology and long-range ballistic missile development has
Commentary
Delicate Modernization in the Last Shangri-La0
- Commentary
- April 6, 2015
Bhutan is widely romanticized as the last Shangri-La meaning the “hidden paradise”. It would not be an exaggeration to state that this Shangri-la is a country known for its traditions, culture and identity. The importance of its traditions can be felt from the words of Harald Nestroy that the “early history of Bhutan is not
Playing with Peace in Myanmar0
- Commentary
- April 2, 2015
International aid and “statebuilding” exercises risk exacerbating ethnic conflicts in Myanmar. Here’s a more realistic approach. As ceasefires in Myanmar enter their third fragile year, international aid commitments geared towards “peacebuilding” have proliferated, particularly from the West and Japan. Although aid remains one of the few tools available to these governments, and there are countless
Geo-economic Significance of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank0
- Commentary
- April 2, 2015
Since the dawn of civilization, except for the last 250 years, Asia had half the world’s wealth and two centres of gravity – China and India. With Asia estimated to possess two-thirds of global GPD in 2050, because of favourable demographics India has the potential to overtake the United States and once again become the
Pakistan’s Promises Will Remain Unfulfilled0
- Commentary
- March 28, 2015
Pakistan remains unwilling to change the substance of its policy on terrorism even as it tries to reassure the international community that it is ready for a drastic transformation. Several recent developments affirm the Pakistani military’s belief that cosmetic changes or words alone will suffice to convince others, especially the U.S., that Pakistan is serious
Three Ways on How ISIS Can Make Inroads in South Asia0
- Commentary, Issues
- February 28, 2015
Recent weeks have brought a bevy of news headlines attesting to the rising profile of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in South Asia. The group’s literature has circulated in Pakistan, and its flags have been spotted in Kashmir. Several Pakistani militant commanders expressed their allegiance to ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Alleged
Flashpoints from Indo-US Nuclear Deal for Business0
- Commentary, Issues
- February 3, 2015
The India-U.S. nuclear agreement represents a $17 billion opportunity for Indian business. It will also help India secure fuel for its indigenous reactors, and contribute to cheap and plentiful energy. But a major concern remains—will these projects be efficiently executed? With the U.S.-India nuclear agreement clearing two major hurdles on 25 January—civil nuclear liability and
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Featured
End of Year Editorial; Evolving Political Dynamics in South Asia
By M. Adil Khan, Guest Editor 2018 has been an eventful year for South Asia especially at the political level. During 2018 several countries in the region have had their elections and these elections have altered their political pictures. In others preparations for elections are underway and yet in others sub-national elections and their outcomes
2018 Bangladesh General Election: A Time for Stock-taking and Pondering the Stakes
By Adil Khan and Habib Zafarullah* 4 December 2018 The 2018 Bangladesh General Election scheduled on December 30, 2018 marks the end of two consecutive terms of the ruling Awami League (AL), first ever by any political party since 1991, the year a combined opposition movement against a decade long dictatorship resurrected and re-introduced