Abd. Sayed ترمذی سادات

I am glad to share my latest article with @ToreRHamming for @CTCWP a deep dive into Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) growing strength over the past two years. It assesses the TTP’s potential future trajectory & outlines its recent & more localized focus. ctc.westpoint.edu/the-tehrik-i-t…

A Mass Killing in Kabul Tests Whether the Laws of War Still Matter Only independent mechanisms can preserve evidence, protect victims, and confront impunity By Omar SAMAD and Mushtaq RAHIM March 28, 2026 As wars erupt worldwide, civilian protections are collapsing. Few incidents illustrate this breakdown more starkly than the March 16 Kabul strike by Pakistan’s air force that killed patients at a drug rehabilitation center—an attack still under verification by international observers and human rights practitioners. It was in this context that Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued its stark assessment as part of a report on March 27: “A Pakistani airstrike on a drug treatment center in Afghanistan on March 16, 2026, was an unlawful attack and a possible war crime, Human Rights Watch said today. International agencies reported that at least 143 people were killed and more than 250 injured, most of them patients… Three buildings were hit: a large building used as a dining area, a building that accommodates 450 patients, and a guard room where eight men were working. On March 17, Pakistan’s federal minister of information and broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, posted on X that Pakistan had carried out “precision airstrikes” on “technical support infrastructure and ammunition storage facilities,” but did not mention the Omid facility. ‘The available evidence indicates that the Pakistani airstrike against a well-known Kabul medical facility killing dozens of patients was unlawful,’ said Patricia Gossman, senior associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch. ‘Pakistani authorities need to carry out an impartial investigation to determine why it hit a drug treatment center filled with civilians and who should be held to account.’ The center employee said that over 1,000 patients were at the facility at the time of the attack, but the actual number is uncertain. An official with an international agency said that many patients were in the dining area to break the Ramadan fast. The United Nations described the ‘complete destruction of one block that housed adolescents receiving drug treatment...’” N/1

Dialogues and discussion on such critical issues are needed.

Human Rights Watch: "A Pakistani airstrike on the drug treatment center in Afghanistan was an unlawful attack & a possible war crime. HRW found no evidence that the center was being used for military purposes, making the attack unlawfully indiscriminate." hrw.org/news/2026/03/2…

“Many of the 13 military bases in the region used by American troops are all but uninhabitable, with the ones in Kuwait, which is next door to Iran, suffering perhaps the most damage.” | New York Times nytimes.com/2026/03/25/us/…

There’s been aerial bombing near the Embassy of Pakistan and the residence of the Pakistani ambassador in Tehran in Iran a very short while ago, All Pak Diplomats are Safe but shook — This while Pakistan alongside Turkey and Egypt is doing the shuttle diplomacy for deescalation

For many of us in journalism, @MohammadIlyasKh’s bylines in Herald were early lessons in the craft. His work continues to shape how young reporters understand serious reporting in Pakistan. @Matiullahjan919 @imranmukhtar

After Asim Munir consolidated his hold on power, Pakistan’s government and military expanded investment in narrative warfare, including television and digital media platforms. The aim was to counter India in propaganda and promote Pakistan’s narrative globally. A parallel focus emerged on Afghanistan amid tensions with the Taliban. While these efforts may have yielded some gains in the Indian and international context, they appear to have backfired in the Afghan domain, undermining Pakistan’s narrative credibility. Media messaging against the Afghan Taliban reportedly adopted racist and derogatory rhetoric, particularly targeting Pashtuns. A notable example was the controversial “Acha Ji” video, produced in the presence of the Information Minister, which drew widespread public criticism in Pakistan including within the ruling party. Despite sustained efforts, the state has not developed a narrative capable of securing broad domestic support for confrontation with the Afghan Taliban. Conversely, the Afghan Taliban demonstrated greater effectiveness in the narrative domain. During periods of heightened tensions with Pakistan, they secured support even from segments of Afghan society traditionally opposed to them. By framing the confrontation as an issue of national honor and survival, they consolidated broader public backing. This approach effectively enabled them to leverage even their opponents in the narrative campaign against Pakistan, contributing significantly to their advantage in this domain.

Even if differences between Afghanistan and Pakistan can be settled, controlling cross-border militant movement will not be simple. crisisgroup.org/stm/asia-pacif…

Former head of MI6: Iran has the “upper hand” in the war | The Economist youtu.be/Lggjw3OuFrw?si…

Within a month of the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul, scenes like this were already signaling the future of Islamabad–Kabul relations.

🚨Iranian state TV says Iran told the U.S. through the mediators that it rejects the 15-point plan

“The conclusion of the war across all fronts and for all resistance groups involved throughout the region.” Iran seems unwilling to abandon its Middle Eastern proxies.

The Turkey-Pakistan intervention altered the trajectory on the ground. A source familiar with the matter: “If that step hadn’t been taken, the Hormuz crisis would have expanded into the Red Sea and Suez.” x.com/leventkemaI/st…

Sources report that a civilian youth was killed today in missile attacks carried out by Pakistani forces near the Durand Line in Sarkano district of Kunar province.

I join UN experts in calling for a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan and an end to the killing, accountability for violations of humanitarian law, and lawful suppression of cross-border terrorist threats

Hmmm….the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad seems to be suggesting that news stories about imminent high level peace talks might be premature. Let us see what really happens.

Pakistan has embarked on a major offensive to reshape its image abroad as a reliable partner to the West (and the Trump administration in particular) and as a diplomatic power at the crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Part of that strategy is through media and the creation of private English-language news outlets backed by the government and security agencies. The initial goal was to counter India's narratives during any upcoming conflict. But when Pakistan finds itself at the center of attention, as it does now amid rumors of US-Iran talks in the country, it's another sharp tool to leverage. Our story with @zalmayzia nytimes.com/2026/03/24/wor…

Contrary to social media reportage, no ‘delegation’ has arrived in Islamabad, as yet.

Heartbreaking that our beloved Radio Mashaal @Mashaalradio will go off air on March 31. For 16 years, we have reached millions across the Durandline in #Pakistan and #Afghanistan. Mashaal’s Claire is a huge loss, leaving millions without access to impartial news & information.

Here is the Iranian Embassy Islamabad stance on the proposed US-Iran talks