On 22 November, a haunting video from Pakistan surfaced on social media, showing a convoy filled with Shia Muslims killed in a brutal sectarian attack. Syeda Sana Batool reports that the Parachinar attack is not an isolated incident, but part of the decades-long history of violence and persecution targeting Shia Muslims in Kurram district - and across Pakistan.
For our next Podcast of the Week, host of the State of Southasia podcast, Nayantara Narayanan talks to Sana Batool about the Parachinar attack and the ongoing targeting and discrimination of Shia Muslims which goes widely unreported in Pakistan’s mainstream media.
Pakistan military charges ex spy-chief for 'political activities'
On 10 December, Pakistan’s military charged the former head of their Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) for “engaging in political activities”, marking the first time a spy chief has been charged with helping a political party. Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed has been detained since August this year for misconduct in a case related to a private housing scheme. The military’s media wing said that Hameed was being investigated under Pakistan’s Army Act for involvement in events “aimed at fomenting instability at the behest of and in collusion with vested political interests”, referring to widespread protests by supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf on 9 May, which resulted in military trials and a crackdown on PTI and its supporters.
Former prime minister Imran Khan’s attempt to extend Hameed’s tenure as head of ISI put him at loggerheads with Pakistan’s military, leading them to withdraw their support for Khan before he was ousted via no confidence-motion in 2022. The military’s support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ahead of the 8 February election was key in paving the way to their victory, revealing that Pakistan’s military has long been entwined with politics, despite the charges against Hameed. Instead, the charges can be seen as part of continued attempts to stifle political opposition in Pakistan, as Hameed was seen as a key figure in ensuring Khan’s victory in the 2018 elections.
The Arakan Army claims to have taken full control over Myanmar’s border with Bangladesh after capturing the last military post in the town of Maungdaw
Pakistan-administered Kashmir has withdrawn a presidential ordinance that restricted unregistered organisations from holding protests without permission after thousands of people protested over four days
Taliban refugee minister Khalil Haqqani has been killed in a suicide bombing along with six others as he was leaving the ministry building in Kabul. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
Tensions between Dhaka and Delhi continue to flare as a Bangladeshi court rejects plea to advance hearing of arrested Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das’ case and thousands of protestors in Bangladesh march towards its border with India over the attack on the consulate office
The opposition Maldivian Democratic party organised a public rally in Malé, criticising the current government’s lack of development projects, burning through the state budget before the year ended and changing the Constitution frequently
Nepal’s foreign ministry shoots down prospects of China-backed Panchen Lama visiting the country after information of a planned visit was leaked
India appoints Sanjay Malhotra, a career civil servant, as new central bank governor, replacing Shaktikanta Das, amid slow economic growth, rising inflation and a depreciating rupee
US impose sanctions on two of Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s allies, ex-envoy to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga and former Sri Lankan Airline’s chief executive Kapila Chandrasena for bribery and corruption, while non profit International Truth and Justice Project submits more than 60 sanctions and visa ban requests against Sri Lankan officials
Adani Group withdraws application for US-backed loan, decides to internally fund construction of a port in Sri Lanka following the recent indictment of founder Gautam Adani over an alleged bribery scheme.
The Asian Development Bank approves a USD 600 million policy-based loan to Bangladesh to improve domestic resource mobilisation, promote private sector development and reform state-owned enterprises
This week, an Indian wedding invite that slyly poked fun at Southasian wedding cliches went viral. The invite opens by referencing the inevitable guest commentary on the wedding food before highlighting the auspicious wedding day, coinciding with the end of a relative’s exam (par for the course). The invite also playfully acknowledged the family drama that can arise during weddings - from controlling children from clambering up onto the stage to properly greeting the Fua ji (uncle). The invite even included a helpful glossary of all the family members and their roles, plus of course, the RSVP section, reworded to "Rishtedar Saare Vahi Pakau" (All the same boring relatives). The invite might have originated from India, but the commentary transcends borders!
Got a meme or satirical post you'd like to share? Send us a meme that made you laugh from the past week here.
Pakistan-administered Kashmir saw four days of strikes this week against a controversial new ordinance that would have clamped down on protests by “unregistered organisations” - seen as an attempt to stifle demonstrations by disenchanted residents. In light of this, Salman Rafi Sheikh’s article from June this year is relevant to re-read. Sheikh writes that continued mass protests reveal that Islamabad continues to exert control on the nominally autonomous region it calls ‘Azad Kashmir’. Sheikh unpacks the key demands of protesters, revealing longstanding economic woes around essentials like flour and electricity.