Movements of women's rights in #SouthAsia can be traced on junctures of striving for justice in social issues & handling external (often post-colonial) influences.
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In #India, it was 1980 when the Mathura rape case propelled an anti-rape feminist-led movement that remains the biggest wave till today.
But the current wave spreads beyond protection against sexual violence, to economic rights and has taken up significant digital space.
2/6
In #Pakistan, Women Action Forum (WAF) remained the face of women’s movement through 1980s & beyond.
A fresh start came about in 2018 when yearly demonstration called ‘Aurat March’ surfaced. Its momentum has equally met with backlash from different segments of society.
3/6
#SriLankan women enjoyed voting rights since 1931. Agnes De Silva was the prominent activist behind winning suffrage rights.
In 1940s & 50s, liberal middle-class women’s groups were actively campaigning, while 1980s saw ‘Women for Peace’ collective against civil war.
4/6
In #Bangladesh, the movement largely centered around urban, professional, middle-class women in 1970s & 80s.
Later, growth of donors & NGOs led it in a different direction. The movement also faces conservative backlash such as the one by Hefazat-e-Islam.
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In #Nepal, a prominent women's rights collective was Nepal Woman Association, under the leadership of Mangala Devi Singh.
Polygamy was outlawed & right to divorce won as a result of women's rights activism.
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BREAKING | Pakistan Dismantles India’s Pahalgam Story in a Rare Press Conference!
"A mountain too far, a story too fast, and a truth too twisted."
That, in essence, was the message Pakistan’s civil and military leadership delivered in a rare nearly 2-hours long joint press conference addressing the Pahalgam incident — an attack deep inside Indian-held Kashmir that New Delhi wasted no time pinning on Islamabad.
Flanked by Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister @MIshaqDar50 and @ForeignOfficePk Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, it was @OfficialDGISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif who led the charge — laying out a cold, fact-laced rebuttal to India's allegations.
This wasn’t just a defense. It was a counter-narrative strategy, blending forensic questions, geopolitical implications, and a scathing indictment of what Pakistan calls India's weaponization of terrorism narratives for political mileage.
Each speaker had a role to play:
Gen. Ahmed Sharif came with receipts — timelines that don’t add up, FIRs that were filed before facts were known, and predictive social media accounts linked to a pattern of attacks across Pakistan. He called out India’s 'media-military nexus' and asked the world to follow the breadcrumbs.
Deputy PM & FM Ishaq Dar, ever the diplomat with a firm undertone, raised six questions that slice through the heart of India’s claims — legal, ethical, and procedural red flags that India has yet to address.
Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, the FO voice of reason, underscored Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability while challenging the international community to call out what he framed as India’s 'reckless propaganda and communal framing.'
Here’s a quick rundown of the key points from each speaker, dismantling India's narrative on the Pahalgam incident with a sharp focus on facts and analysis! ⤵️
Key Points by Pakistan's Deputy PM & FM @MIshaqDar50
🔹 ‘India-sponsored terrorism has impacted Pakistan and other countries.’
🔹 ‘Pakistan has lost the most — human lives and finances — to terrorism.’
🔹 ‘We reject baseless Indian accusations linking us to the Pahalgam attack.’
🔹 ‘Killing one innocent soul is like killing all of humanity – Islam is clear.’
🔹 ‘India’s inflammatory rhetoric is aimed at maligning the Kashmir freedom movement.’
🔹 ‘Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty will be seen as an act of war — met with full force.’
🔹 ‘We have briefed friendly countries; India uses blame-games to distract from its internal failures.’
'Victim of Terror, Not a Perpetrator' — Pakistan reaffirms commitment to global counterterrorism and warns India against reckless escalation, emphasized @MIshaqDar50.
Here's what Pakistan's military spokesperson revealed:
Timeline Inconsistencies Raise Red Flags:
• A 30-minute return journey completed in under 10 minutes?
• An FIR was registered, police returned to the scene, and Pakistan was blamed — all within minutes. This wasn’t a probe. It was a playbook.
• At 3:05 PM, anti-Pakistan social media accounts—linked to Indian intel—began circulating blame.
• By 3:30 PM, Indian mainstream media echoed the same narrative.
• By 4:00 PM, a ‘Muslim terrorist’ identity was pushed—without evidence.
Deliberate Escalation & Communal Targeting:
• This attack was weaponized to trigger religious polarization. The narrative implied Muslims were spared—a dangerous and false communal line.
• Such moves risk domestic unrest and attempt to redefine Kashmiri resistance as terrorism.
Voices India Can’t Silence:
• We showcased videos of Kashmiris, Indian journalists, and opposition politicians questioning the Modi govt’s version.
• This isn't new—Pulwama was similarly used to roll back Article 370.
Pattern of Disinformation & Abuse:
• Social media accounts involved post-Pahalgam were also used after the Jaffer Express attack—a clear pattern.
• Indian media aired videos with AI-generated visuals to support their claims.
• We presented confessional videos of terrorists admitting support from Indian intel—especially among terrorists operating in Balochistan.
During the press conference, DG ISPR played an audio recording of a conversation between a serving Indian Army Major and a terrorist based in Pakistan.
In the recording, the Indian Major reveals, "I have a network from Balochistan to Lahore. If I'm sending money, I won't do it in a way that compromises the person I'm handling. 10k won't be noticeable, and the money won't go directly into your account."
He further claims, "I'm not here for 2-3 year, I'm here for many more years, money is no issue."
The Major also speaks of offering millions, implying that billions are reserved for such operations.
"This is what independent and neutral observers should see," said DG ISPR, underscoring the depth of India’s involvement in cross-border terrorism.
Human Cost on Pakistan:
• Since January 2024, 3,700+ terrorism incidents occurred in Pakistan.
• 3,896 civilians and 1,314 personnel were martyred; 2,582 wounded.
• Security forces conducted 77,816 operations; 1,666 terrorists neutralized, including 83 high-value targets.
Concerns Over Pakistani Detainees in Indian Jails:
• We fear Pakistani prisoners might be killed in fake encounters and posthumously branded as terrorists.
• We revealed names, detention dates, and showed family testimonies—like that of Farooq (54), extrajudicially killed April 24.
• Kupwara saw another fake encounter April 23, followed by desecration of the Kashmiri victim’s body.
Crackdown in Occupied Kashmir Post-Pahalgam:
• Homes were bulldozed without trial.
• Thousands of Kashmiris arrested under vague terror charges.
• Daily harassment continues under the pretext of counterterrorism.
DG ISPR emphasized: 'Terrorism has no religion or nationality. The truth is in the details—and we’re putting them on record.'
Thread | The Sacrifice No One Expected: Bahadur Shah Zafar's Historic Eid-ul-Adha
Imagine a holy day used as a weapon. That's what the British planned for Eid-ul-Adha in 1857 Delhi.
Their target: Unity. But here's where Bahadur Shah Zafar stepped in.. [1/13]
1857: A Secret Plot to Tear India Apart on Eid
1857, Delhi: The flames of rebellion raged against British rule. But the enemy wasn't just on the battlefield. They sought to tear India apart by exploiting religious differences.[2/13]
In the heart of the fight stood Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor. As Eid-ul-Adha approached, a sinister plot was brewing... [3/13]
1️⃣ #SAT Analysis: Chairman Michael McCaul from the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee says the #IEA is arming the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against #Pakistan.
IEA denies this, but, figuring out how TTP got high-tech weapons is an interesting research question.
Let's find the answer ⬇️
2️⃣ As per a Pentagon report, the #UnitedStates provided $18.6 billion in equipment to #Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) between 2005 & August 2021.
The report indicates that following the completion of the U.S. withdrawal on August 30, 2021, equipment valued at $7.12 billion remained in #Afghanistan.
3️⃣ Moreover, According to the report, at the time of the U.S. military withdrawal, more than 300,000 out of the total 427,300 weapons provided by the United States to Afghan forces were left within #Afghanistan.
Notably, these weapons found their way into the possession of anti-Pakistan terrorist groups under the supervision of the IEA.
1️⃣ #SAT Analysis: Is #India under the scrutiny lens of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)?
The FATF is going to start its fourth evaluation of India's actions to stop illegal money.
A thread to explore India’s performance in its compliance with FATF targets. ⤵️
2️⃣ Initially, Amnesty International has highlighted that #Indian authorities are using false foreign funding & terrorism accusations to single out, intimidate, harass, & silence critics.
This action is seen as a clear breach of #FATF standards.
3️⃣ Amnesty International points out that during its third #FATF review in 2010, the Indian government itself deemed the risk from the nonprofit sector to be "low."
However, since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took office in 2014, authorities have employed overly broad legal provisions to suppress critics & terminate their activities. This has included revoking their foreign funding permits and prosecuting them under counterterrorism laws & financial regulations.
1️⃣ In the South Asian region, #Pakistan has hosted #Afghan refugees since the mid-1970s, with 3.7 million currently residing there.
Meanwhile, #India's treatment of Afghans has been less accommodating, prompting a closer look at India's behaviour towards them.
2️⃣Firstly, when the Soviet Union invaded #Afghanistan, #India was one of the countries that did not condemn the #USSR.
3️⃣ Furthermore, during the early 1990s, when former #Afghan President Najibullah sought assistance from the government of #NewDelhi, the administration under Prime Minister Narasimha Rao did not facilitate the evacuation of Najibullah from #Kabul.
This decision persisted even in the face of a request by Boutros-Ghali during an unscheduled visit to #India.