Author: Saifullah

A clear shift is underway in Pakistan’s security posture, one that is no longer defined by reaction alone, but by calibrated and intelligence-driven assertion. The latest briefing from the Foreign Office reflects this transformation in unmistakable terms: the era of passive containment is giving way to active deterrence. Following the recent wave of attacks in North Waziristan and Bannu, Pakistan responded on June 9 with a targeted operation based on credible intelligence inputs. The strikes, according to official confirmation, were directed at cross-border terrorist hideouts and logistical infrastructure used to plan and facilitate attacks inside Pakistani territory. The message embedded…

The recent decision involving the United Nations Security Council has once again highlighted how global counterterrorism decisions are increasingly shaped by geopolitical interests rather than purely security-based criteria. At the center of the controversy was a joint proposal by Pakistan and China to list the Balochistan Liberation Army and its suicide wing, the Majeed Brigade, under the UN 1267 sanctions regime. The proposal was blocked by the United States, United Kingdom, and France, exposing deep divisions within the international counterterrorism framework. Pakistan’s Position and Evidence Pakistan argued that the BLA has evolved into a highly organized terrorist network responsible for…

In 1904, British geographer and strategist Halford Mackinder introduced a theory that would outlive empires, ideologies, and even the century that produced it. Speaking before the Royal Geographical Society, he argued that the struggle for global power would ultimately revolve around geography, not temporary political systems or shifting alliances. At the centre of his theory stood the “Heartland,” a vast landlocked expanse stretching across Eurasia, protected from maritime dominance and rich in strategic depth. For decades, many dismissed Mackinder’s ideas as outdated. The rise of air power, nuclear deterrence, cyberspace, and globalisation supposedly made geography less relevant. The modern world,…

The debate over the ethnic composition of armed forces is not unique to Pakistan. Throughout history, militaries around the world have recruited disproportionately from certain regions, communities, and socio-economic classes due to geography, economic realities, historical traditions, and recruitment patterns. Yet one principle remains constant in every sovereign state: a national military is defined not by the ethnicity of its personnel, but by the state, constitution, and authority it is sworn to defend. In a recently circulated Facebook video, a speaker claiming to be among the founding figures of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) argued that the Pakistan Army should…

Afghanistan’s quest for international recognition remains entangled in a security dilemma it cannot easily escape. While the Taliban administration continues to seek diplomatic engagement and economic relief from the global community, persistent concerns over militant sanctuaries, particularly linked to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), continue to cast a long shadow over Kabul’s ambitions. Recent developments, including international debates in Europe and growing Afghan diaspora activism, have once again brought the issue into focus. The Madrid demonstration, led by Afghan opposition voices, highlighted not only concerns over governance and human rights but also deeper anxieties about regional stability. Among these concerns, allegations of…

Pakistan has reaffirmed its firm opposition to the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances, describing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) as a vital pillar of the international disarmament and non-proliferation framework. Speaking during a United Nations Security Council briefing on the Middle East, Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN stressed that the prohibition of chemical weapons remains essential for maintaining global peace and security. He underscored Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to international efforts aimed at preventing the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction. Pakistan expressed strong support for the universal adoption of the Chemical Weapons Convention and…

There is a quiet irony in watching Pakistan, a country Donald Trump once accused of harboring terrorists while pocketing American aid, emerge as one of the most consequential diplomatic assets of his second administration. Yet here we are. As Washington and Tehran find themselves locked in one of the most dangerous standoffs of the decade, it is Islamabad not Brussels, not Riyadh, not Geneva that is discreetly keeping the back channel alive. How that came to pass reveals something profound, not just about Pakistan’s reinvention, but about how nakedly transactional American foreign policy has become under Trump. For most of…

There are moments when a legal system is tested not only by the brutality of a crime, but by the weight of public expectation that follows it. The Lahore Motorway case became one such moment, where a single criminal act evolved into a national legal response and then into an international talking point. A woman stranded with her children on a motorway was attacked in a crime that shocked public consciousness across Pakistan. What followed, however, was not ambiguity or institutional paralysis. It was investigation, prosecution, conviction, and finally appellate confirmation. The accused were traced through digital forensics, DNA evidence,…

Gulf Hostilities Escalate as US-Iran Talks Remain Deadlocked Missile Attack on Kuwait Airport Raises Regional Tensions Hostilities in the Gulf region intensified on Wednesday after a missile and drone attack damaged Kuwait International Airport, while US forces carried out military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. The developments come as diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran remain stalled. According to Kuwaiti authorities, the attack targeted Terminal 1 of Kuwait International Airport, causing injuries and significant damage to airport facilities. Flight operations were suspended, and incoming flights were diverted until further notice. Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence condemned the incident,…

Security Forces Kill 17 India-Backed Terrorists in Balochistan: ISPR Security Forces Conduct Successful Intelligence-Based Operations Pakistan’s security forces have killed 17 India-backed terrorists during a series of intelligence-based operations (IBOs) carried out across multiple districts of Balochistan, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The operations were conducted in Mastung, Nushki, Zehri, Khuzdar, and Kech following the terrorist incident involving a train on May 24. The military’s media wing stated that the operations targeted terrorist hideouts and networks operating in the province. Heavy Blow to Terrorist Networks According to ISPR, security forces effectively engaged several terrorist locations during the operations.…