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The Pulse
South Asia is a story of promise and peril where Asia’s conflicting forces of modernity and reaction meet head on. Home to a multitude of different cultures, ethnicities, and religions, The Diplomat's regional correspondents and experts will provide the insight you need to navigate one of the world's most consequential regions.
US Left Afghan Airfield at Night, Didn’t Tell New Commander
By Kathy Gannon
Before the Afghan army could take control of the airfield, it was invaded by a small army of looters.
External Concerns are Driving Modi’s Kashmir Strategy
By Mohamed Zeeshan
New Delhi’s crackdown on Kashmir since August 2019 has turned the global spotlight on the human rights situation there.
Pakistan Says India was Behind Recent Bomb Blast in Lahore
By Zarar Khan
The explosion took place near the residence of Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed.
India’s COVID-19 Death Toll Tops 400,000; Experts Say It’s Higher
By Ashok Sharma
The Indian government says 2 billion doses could be available by December, but some are skeptical.
Growing Violence in Afghanistan Takes a Toll on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
By Shahid Afzal Khan
Stalled out peace talks have shattered hopes of a safe return home for millions of Afghans who fled abroad.
India’s Hindutva Hardliners Treat Religious Conversion as Security Threat
By Asim Ali
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has warned that the National Security Act will be invoked against those involved in religious conversion.
Mingled Faiths, Separate Peoples: Pew Research Center’s New Survey of Indian Religious Communities
By Krzysztof Iwanek
The study confirms that a figurative marriage between religious concepts does not have to inspire literal marriages between religious groups.
Rohingya Repatriation Unlikely If It’s ‘Business as Usual’ in Global Politics
By Asif Muztaba Hassan
If foreign companies continue to do business with the Myanmar junta, the latter will persist with its brutal offensives against Rohingya Muslims.
Drone Attacks on Military Installation Rattle India’s Security Establishment
By Sudha Ramachandran
If a Pakistani hand is found behind the recent drone strikes, it could impact the nascent India-Pakistan peace process.
Imran Khan Has Normalized Prejudice in Pakistan
By Farahnaz Ispahani
Pakistan is already known for having little tolerance for its religious minorities. Khan and the PTI have aggravated the problem.
Will the Taliban Leadership Abandon Its Bases in Pakistan?
By Umair Jamal
In return for not hosting American bases on Pakistani soil, Islamabad wants the Afghan Taliban to rein in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Nepal’s Supreme Court Flexes Its Muscles
By Sambridh Ghimire
Institutional confrontation is heating up in Nepal, against the backdrop of an ongoing political crisis.