(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: The Most Allied Ally — and the Most Distrusted Partner No bilateral relationship in modern diplomatic history has been described in such contradictory terms as the Pakistan-US alliance. Pakistan has been called America’s “most allied ally” — yet it has also been labelled its “most sanctioned ally.” Washington has poured more…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction Few countries occupy as consequential a geopolitical position as Pakistan. The world’s fifth-most-populous nation, the only Muslim-majority nuclear power, and a state situated at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Arabian Sea, Pakistan is simultaneously a frontline state, a trading corridor, a nuclear power, and…
(By Khalid Masood) For decades, Washington described its relationship with Islamabad as one of its “most complicated.” Today, it may be the fastest-warming relationship in American foreign policy. Within eighteen months, Pakistan’s Army Chief has been a guest at the White House three times in as many months, Islamabad has brokered direct talks between the…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: When Counterterrorism Becomes Statecraft In the twenty-first century, the struggle against terrorism is no longer confined to battlefields, intelligence operations, border controls or law-enforcement agencies. It is also fought in conference rooms, diplomatic missions, international organizations and the increasingly contested arena of strategic narratives. Counterterrorism has consequently become an important instrument…
(By Khalid Masood) During his recent whirlwind 24-hour visit to Delhi for the BRICS summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a strategic message that extended far beyond the confines of a standard bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the immediate optics of the summit naturally focused on the direct dynamics between the two…
(By Khalid Masood) Few nations occupy a position in the emerging international order as fascinating—or as increasingly uncomfortable—as India. On any given week, New Delhi might be deepening intelligence-sharing agreements with Washington, purchasing discounted crude oil from Moscow, exchanging diplomatic pleasantries with Beijing at a BRICS summit, and conducting joint naval exercises with Japan and…
(By Quratulain Khalid) As the expanded BRICS gathers in India amid great-power rivalry, wars, economic fragmentation and the rise of the Global South, the real question is whether the grouping can transform its growing economic weight into genuine geopolitical power—and where Pakistan should position itself in the emerging multipolar order. Introduction The leaders of the…
(By Khalid Masood) A Call, and A Refusal On Thursday, as Houthi fighters pushed down Yemen’s Red Sea coast towards the shipping lanes of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince picked up the telephone — twice. Both times, according to Axios, Donald Trump declined to order American strikes against the Iran-backed movement. On…
(By Khalid Masood) Today, on the 8th of September, the nation of Pakistan stands united to celebrate Pakistan Navy Day. This day is not merely a mark on the calendar; it is a profound tribute to the valor, tactical brilliance, and unyielding spirit of the Pakistan Navy (PN). It commemorates the night in 1965 when…
(By Khalid Masood) In the grand tapestry of military history, there are conflicts that merely redraw maps, and then there are crucibles that forge the very soul of a nation. For the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Indo-Pak War of 1965 was the latter. When the dawn of September 6th broke over the subcontinent, it…
