Why Mashhad? Reading the Symbolism Behind a Supreme Leader’s Final Journey
Everyone was watching Tehran. The crowds, the chants, the coffin inching down a ten-kilometer route while effigies burned overhead — it made for the kind See More…
Opinion
Rare Earths as Leverage: The US–China Critical Minerals Standoff and the Limits of Decoupling
Rare earths have emerged as one of the most consequential instruments of geopolitical leverage in the twenty-first century, exposing the strategic vulnerabilities underpinning the global See More…
Rethinking IMF Conditionality in the 2026 Debt Era
As sovereign debt reaches historic highs, the effectiveness of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) traditional lending framework is facing renewed scrutiny. While IMF programmes have See More…
Pakistan at a Strategic Crossroads in a Multipolar World
As the international system transitions toward an increasingly multipolar order, Pakistan stands at a defining strategic crossroads shaped by intensifying great-power competition, mounting water insecurity, See More…
Pakistan’s Afghanistan Policy: Balancing Security and Strategic Partnership with China
In an increasingly volatile regional environment, Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy stands at a critical strategic crossroads. Persistent cross-border terrorism has reinforced Islamabad’s security concerns, while China’s See More…
The Indus Waters Treaty in 2026: Firm Words, Quiet Diplomacy, and a Basin Under Pressure
As tensions surrounding the Indus Waters Treaty continue to shape regional discourse, water security has emerged as one of the most consequential dimensions of India–Pakistan See More…
Pakistan–Iran Relations in a Changing Regional Landscape
Opportunities from President Masoud Pezeshkian’s Visit to Islamabad Something shifted quietly in the region earlier this year. As Pakistan continued to support regional dialogue and See More…
Human Security and the Paradox of State Security
Exploring the enduring tension between state power, the social contract, and the protection of human security in contemporary society. Human security has, over time, become See More…
The Swiss Blindspot
How Israel’s Lebanon Campaign Exposed the Fragility of the Trump–Iran Understanding The Setup: Diplomacy at Altitude Picture the scene: a sleek Alpine resort perched above See More…
Ceasefire or Countdown? Assessing the Durability of the US–Iran Islamabad Memorandum
A strategic assessment of whether the US–Iran Islamabad Memorandum can deliver lasting stability The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and Iran is See More…