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Pakistan appears to believe that its military might, which is far greater than Afghanistan’s, will force the Taliban to bend. But rather than weakening the regime in Kabul, Pakistan’s aggression is fueling Afghan nationalist sentiment and allowing the Taliban to cast themselves as defenders of the nation, effectively granting them a level of popular legitimacy they have long struggled to secure.
Politics
Pakistan’s “open war” on Afghanistan only strengthens the Taliban
By
Hamayon Rastgar
Pakistan’s airstrikes and mass deportations do little to control the TTP, but strengthen a Taliban regime that thrives in conflict and can feed off popular Afghan and Pashtun resentment
📚 Southasia Review of Books - 11 March 2026
Newsletters
📚 Southasia Review of Books - 11 March 2026
By
Shwetha Srikanthan
The Savarna state of mind in a caste-ridden India, Pakistan’s montage photo studios, and more
Himal Interviews: The threat to Muslims is a crisis for India’s democracy
Politics
Himal Interviews: The threat to Muslims is a crisis for India’s democracy
By
The Editors
Mohsin Alam tells Harsh Mander that anti-democratisation of the economy has had a terrible impact on minorities and Muslims in particular
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Newsletters
The Southasian death toll in the Russia-Ukraine war – Footnotes
By
Raisa Wickrematunge
We take you behind the scenes on reporting new data from Ukraine revealing the death toll of Southasians fighting for Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war
Recent Hindi films increasingly echo Hindutva politics, recasting history, glorifying militarism and normalising Islamophobia in the service of a majoritarian national project.
Culture
Hindi cinema’s appalling descent into Islamophobia and Hindu nationalism
By
Raza Rumi
From manufacturing mythic pasts to promoting muscular nationalism, militarism and Islamophobia, Hindi cinema is increasingly aligning with Hindutva politics, and ripping up Indian secularism and democ ...
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