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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 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Likely to Visit Sri Lanka Amid China’s Renewed Push There
By Prarthana Basu
Pompeo’s trip would come weeks after a high-level Chinese delegation visited the country.
Baloch Student Protest Lost Scholarships and Reserved Seats in Punjab Universities
By Mariyam Suleman
Baloch students may or may not get their demands met, but they are determined to draw attention to their right to education.
Pakistan Police Arrest Key Suspect in Shocking Highway Rape
By Associated Press
The attack shocked Pakistan and galvanized women's rights activists.
Online Hate Speech Is a Challenge for India’s Foreign Policy
By Parama Sinha Palit
Hate content on Facebook amplifies India’s growing illiberal tendencies, denting the country’s global reputation.
India’s Cities Need Green Infrastructure Financing
By Soumyadip Chattopadhay
The time is ripe for a new system to narrow down sustainable urban infrastructure financing gaps.
Bangladesh Buries the Sonadia Deep-Sea Port Project
By Sudha Ramachandran
Dhaka’s formal decision would come as a relief to New Delhi.
4 Reasons Why India Supports the BRICS
By Abhijnan Rej
Observers routinely dismiss the grouping given India-China tensions, and yet it soldiers on. What is at stake for India here?
Power Play, Morality and … a TikTok Ban in Pakistan
By Abhijnan Rej
Islamabad’s decision to ban the popular Chinese app comes amid deepening political turmoil in the country.
No, Fazlur Rehman Cannot Protect Pakistanis’ Democratic Rights
By Umair Jamal
Opposition parties have tapped a right-wing Islamist as the leader of the Pakistan Democratic Movement. That raises serious questions.
Could Bangladesh and Pakistan Make Waves by Cooperating on Climate Change?
By Kashoon Leeza
Cooperation around climate change could also pave way for normalization of relations between both countries.
In a Rare Show of Power, Pakistan Opposition Elites Challenge the Generals
By Daud Khattak
Political temperatures rise in Pakistan as the opposition takes on the military and Imran Khan headlong.
India’s Ruling National Democratic Alliance Is No Longer Quite ‘National’
By Krzysztof Iwanek
India’s ruling party, the BJP, has hardly any alliances worth the name left – but it may manage without it.