Author: Saifullah

Twenty Iranian sailors have returned to Iran after Pakistan played a key diplomatic role in securing their release from an oil tanker seized by US authorities over alleged sanctions violations, Iranian officials confirmed. The sailors were part of the crew aboard the tanker Majestic X, which was intercepted by the US Navy on April 23 due to accusations of breaching international sanctions. Alongside the Iranian crew, 11 Pakistani nationals were also among those released. According to officials, Pakistan coordinated closely with authorities in Singapore, Thailand, and the United States to arrange the safe return of the crew members. The sailors…

The strategic history of South Asia is often analyzed through two distinct phases: the pre-nuclear period marked by full-scale conventional wars, and the post-nuclear era characterized by intense but more controlled crises. The emergence of nuclear capabilities in May 1998 reshaped the region’s security dynamics in a fundamental way. Before nuclearization, the absence of a strategic deterrent meant that conventional military imbalances frequently escalated into large-scale wars. Conflicts such as the 1947 war, the 1965 war, and the 1971 war demonstrated how rapidly regional disputes could turn into sustained military engagements involving massive troop deployments and cross-border offensives. The 1971…

The latest warning by the United Nations in May 2026 highlights an alarming rise in the risk of nuclear terrorism, calling for urgent global coordination. The UN Counter-Terrorism Centre has cautioned that rapid advances in drone technology, artificial intelligence, and easier access to radiological materials are significantly increasing the capabilities of extremist groups. Security assessments by the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team continue to report that the Taliban provide safe havens to more than 20 terrorist organizations, including Al-Qaeda, ISIL-K, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and ETIM. These groups are reportedly able to recruit, train, and plan operations within Afghan territory with…

The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s recent ruling on the Bhojshala complex in Dhar, identifying it in line with a Hindu religious claim over the Kamal Maula mosque site, has reignited one of India’s most sensitive and enduring fault lines: the contest over sacred spaces. While legally framed as a matter of historical interpretation and archaeological evidence, the verdict has quickly moved beyond the courtroom. It has entered the wider political and cultural arena where history, identity, and power intersect in increasingly volatile ways. India’s post-independence legal framework, particularly the Places of Worship Act 1991, was designed to freeze the religious…

For decades, Pakistan’s security discourse treated Baloch militancy as a geographically confined insurgency rooted in remote mountains, rugged terrain and tribal strongholds. The image was familiar: armed men hiding in isolated camps, disconnected from urban life and operating far from Pakistan’s economic and educational centers. That image no longer reflects reality. The attack carried out by Shari Hayat Baloch in Karachi shattered more than a security perimeter. It shattered an outdated understanding of how modern insurgencies evolve. The most alarming transformation within Baloch militancy is not merely the rise in attacks or the use of suicide bombings. It is the…

Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack targeting the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates, warning that attacks on nuclear facilities constitute a serious violation of international law. In an official statement shared on X, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed full solidarity with the people and government of the UAE following the May 17 incident. The spokesperson stated that any deliberate attack on nuclear installations violated international law, including international humanitarian law, the United Nations Charter, and nuclear safety principles established under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). “Nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances,”…

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has announced the establishment of a new body to oversee operations in the Strait of Hormuz, as regional tensions continue to escalate across the Gulf. According to Iranian state-linked media reports on Monday, the newly formed “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” (PGSA) will be responsible for providing real-time updates regarding operations and developments in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The announcement was published on the council’s official X account and was also shared by the naval wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The Supreme National Security Council serves as Iran’s highest security authority and operates under the…

A senior government official in Balochistan on Saturday accused what he described as “Fitna al-Hindustan” of widening its campaign of violence by targeting women, teachers and civilians across the province following the killing of a female police officer. Assistant Home Minister Babar Yousufzai said a female police constable, identified as Shakila, was killed in a “terror attack” earlier in the day in front of her children. He described the incident as “open terrorism” and said the murder reflected the “cowardly mindset” of militants operating in the province. “These attacks on women and children show the mindset of terrorists,” Yousufzai said,…

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington, being mediated by Pakistan, have not collapsed but are currently facing serious difficulties due to what he described as contradictory signals from the United States. Speaking during a press conference in New Delhi, Araghchi stated that Iran remained committed to diplomacy but lacked trust in Washington because of inconsistent messaging and policies. “We do not trust the United States at all,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran would only engage in meaningful negotiations if the other side demonstrated seriousness and consistency. The Iranian foreign minister stressed that…

Fresh warnings from the 21st Meeting of Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Security Councils have once again exposed the fragile security reality inside Afghanistan, challenging Taliban claims of having fully stabilized the country. Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu delivered a stark assessment, warning that Afghanistan continues to function as a major hub for international terrorism and synthetic narcotics trafficking. His remarks raised serious concerns for regional states, particularly Pakistan and the Central Asian republics, which remain vulnerable to cross-border militancy and organized crime. According to the Russian assessment, between 18,000 and 23,000 militants belonging to more than…