Commentary |

What flipped the switch from escalation to de-escalation in the Pak-Iran showdown? - A saga of calculated communication and military precision! ⤵️ In the recent Pak-Iran showdown, it was a high-stakes tightrope walk from escalation to de-escalation. The catalyst?

Iran's missile strike sparked tensions, with Pakistan slamming it as a "sovereignty" breach.

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.

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.

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.

1⃣ #SAT Update ✨

The UN is set to hold an #Afghanistan Envoys meeting with the Secretary-General, shortly.

This will be a one-of-its-kind conference since the takeover of #Kabul in 2021. Recognition of the #Taliban will be on agenda.

A 🧵 2⃣ The announcement came from UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, while she was speaking at Princeton’s School of Public & International Affairs.

Though exact date was not mentioned, but Zalmay Khalilzad wrote on his Twitter that meeting will convene on May 1 in #Doha.

#SAT History ✨

1⃣ The former capital of Mewar Kingdom is known for its Lakes & Palaces. But not many know Udaipur for the Bronze Age souvenirs it still keeps.

One such guardian of history & Kingdom is the Ahar Cenotaph Complex, known to be the largest among medieval cenotaphs. 2⃣ Standing at one end, the cenotaphs seem to be stretching as far as the eye can see. Walking through, the shadow of Mewar Kings overlooks the race of time.

A semblance of Mughal Era domes, the cenotaphs are not exactly rounded but bear similarity to a pumpkin placed atop.

#SAT Analysis

The #PulwamaAttack of 2019 that killed 40 CRPF personnel in Indian-held Kashmir served as a trigger to bring India & Pakistan on a nuclear threshold.

But were India’s blames rightly put?

A 🧵 How the BJP government averted from intelligence oversight & focused instead on winning the electoral margin following the #PulwamaAttack is the hot talk in India right now.

2/11

#SAT OTD

The Lahore Resolution: A 🧵

#OTD in 1940, the All-India Muslim League adopted the Lahore Resolution—which later came to be known as the Pakistan Resolution—during its three-day general session, which was held in #Lahore from March 22–24.

1/10 A. K. Fazlul Huq, the Prime Minister of #Bengal, presented the resolution, which was authored and compiled by Muhammad Zafarullah Khan and served as a formal statement of the party's vision for the future of Muslim #India.

2/10

#SAT OTD

World Water Day: A 🧵

#OTD every year, #WorldWaterDay is observed to raise awareness of the value of fresh water. It aims to promote the sustainable management of freshwater resources, consistent with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.

1/15 #SDG 6 focuses on making sure that everyone has access to clean water and proper sanitation. The #UN General Assembly set 17 SDGs in 2015, including this one.

To meet this goal, 8 targets must be completed by 2030, using 11 indicators to gauge the progress.

2/15

#SAT OTD✨

Richness of cultures, languages & traditions in #SouthAsia also translated into a rich landscape of poetry; giving birth to some of the most renowned & celebrated #poets of the world.

A 🧵

#InternationalPoetryDay

1/8 Names like Iqbal, Ghalib, Krishan Chandar, Rehman Baba, Khushal Khan, Amir Khusro, Amjad Islam Amjad, Jalib, Parveen Shakir, Noon Meem Rashid, Abdul Latif Bhitai, Hali, Abul Kalam Azad, Mir Taqi Mir, Rabindranath Tagore, Bhupi Sherchan, Kamila Bhasin; hail from this region.

2/8

#SAT Update✨

Cyber-attack on #Khalistan Referendum in Australia caused disruption in voting thrice.

This, coupled with the arrest of #AmripalSingh in India & a mega crackdown in the Indian state of #Punjab is causing ripples.

A 🧵

1/5 Mobile internet remained down in #IndianPunjab as the police searched & chased people associated with 'Waris Punjab De' - a collective headed by Amritpal Singh, that supports an independent Punjab.

2/5

#SAT Analytics✨

Indian Cough Syrup Scandal- A 🧵

In July last year, over 20 children with kidney failure were hospitalized in the pediatric emergency unit of the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in #Gambia.

Later, almost everyone passed away.

1/13 Doctors, who typically see one or two instances like this each year, were perplexed.

The #Gambian health ministry authorities believed the issue was contaminated water as it was the rainy season. Nonetheless, several specialists thought the children had been poisoned.

2/13

#SAT Analytics✨

The Bucher Papers - A 🧵

#India has long been accused of attempting to stop the declassification of documents from 1947 pertaining to #Kashmir out of concern that the "sensitive" letters might have an impact on international relations.

1/14 The letters, also known as the Bucher papers, are thought to include political and military grounds for Jawaharlal Nehru, #India's first prime minister, to request a cease-fire with #Pakistan and grant the state of Jammu & Kashmir special status.

2/14

#SAT History✨

Alongside the busiest Mathura Road in Delhi, the newly-renovated garden tomb overlooks the Yamuna river.

But do you know of the poet this monument houses?

Discover in this 🧵

1/10 This massive square edifice with a central dome is the tomb of Abdul Rahim Khan-e-khanan – one of the nine jewels of Mughal Emperor Akbar.

The structure is one among an almost 100 historic mausoleums in this vicinity of #Delhi.

2/10

Women’s Movements in South Asian Countries - A 🧵

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.

1/6 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

SAT Analytics

When Yogi met Bollywood! A 🧵

To promote Indian state of #UttarPradesh as film production hub, controversially islamophobic CM @myogiadityanath met directors, producers, actors & musicians on Thursday. He asked for their input to develop upcoming Film City...
1/11 ... in Greater #Noida & offered them security, good connectivity & locations with scenic beauty & historical significance.

Renowned filmmakers @BoneyKapoor, @rahulmittra13, @SubhashGhai1, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, Rajkumar Santoshi, @imbhandarkar, & @Anilsharma_dir; ...
2/11

Region: Signed on 16 Sep, 121-point SCO Samarkand Declaration 2022 was based on 8 major themes: 👇 1️⃣ Anti-Terrorism & Foreign Interference
Member states noted,

🔹 Inadmissibility of interference in states' internal affairs under counterterrorism & extremism pretext.

World: Russian embassy in US slammed Washington’s decision to transfer $3.5b from Afghan Central Bank’s reserves to Afghan Fund as violating norms of intl law, & stressed its the right of Afghanistan's ppl to independently command their assets without any external control. World: Russian embassy in US found Afghan Fund establishment decision "contrary to numerous calls from American and world public, humanitarian and human rights organizations as well as prominent economists," the embassy wrote on its Telegram channel on Sep 14th.

At the special invitation of 🇨🇳 State Councilor & FM Wang Yi, 🇵🇰 FM Qureshi left for China on a 3-day visit to attend 3rd Summit of Afg's Neighboring Countries.

Pak's Sp Rep for Afg M. Sadiq is also accompanying FM Qureshi. 🇵🇰 FM Qureshi to hold bilateral meetings with 🇨🇳 State Councilor & FM Wang Yi.

Meetings are also expected with Russian FM Lavrov & Iranian FM Amir Abdullahian.