Politics

For decades, Muslim-majority Bangladesh and Hindu-majority India enjoyed close ties. But earlier this year, the relationship began to fray. What started as peaceful student protests against civil service job quotas morphed into a nationwide movement to force out Bangladesh's authoritarian prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The protests, which have been described as the "world's first Gen Z revolution", resulted in her fleeing in a helicopter — and into exile in Delhi. In the following months, the arrest of a revered Hindu leader in Bangladesh and a mob attack on a consulate in India have fuelled anger between the two countries. Now, the relationship between these South Asian giants is at a low ebb and religious tensions are high. 'Violence is our enemy'Under the heavy-handed

Pakistan’s military said Tuesday that the former head of the country’s main intelligence agency has been charged with multiple criminal offenses, including political interference, during ongoing court-martial proceedings. The announcement was made four months after Faiz Hamid, a former lieutenant general, was taken into custody by military authorities to undergo an investigation and legal proceedings. The military’s media wing reported that Hamid, who formerly led the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or ISI, “has been formally arraigned on charges of engaging in political activities, violations of the Official Secrets Act … misuse of authority and government resources.” The charges carry a potential prison sentence of up to 14 years. The statement noted the former ISI chief is

Bottom Line Up Front Pakistan is increasingly grappling with a volatile and multifaceted security crisis, characterized by militant attacks, sectarian clashes, and political violence.In 2024, Pakistan witnessed a steep increase in violent attacks, with the total number of incidents reaching 856, driven by both attacks from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).Pakistan has also been plagued by sectarian violence, with a sharp rise occurring in late November after gunmen opened fire on a convoy of around 200 Shia passengers in the district of Kurram, near the border with Afghanistan, killing 52.Protests driven by discontent over the perceived political persecution of former Prime Minister Imran Khan by the government and military establishment hav...