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
As the Taliban enforces more severe moral policing and hijab standards in Herat and other provinces, women in Afghanistan speak of escalating public terror and coercion
This week in Himal
Sanjoy Hazarika writes about the unifying legacy of Assamese musical icon Zubeen Garg, bringing together Hindus and Muslims, and the rich and poor across India in
The editor of Zan Times describes the racism underlining Iran’s maltreatment of Afghan refugees during deportation and the crisis they face back in Afghanistan
The Tablighi Jamaat’s orthodox Islamic preaching has gained mass popularity in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwah, where many Pashtuns complain it is transforming their culture and creating the potential for radicalisation and militant recruitment
This week in Himal
This week, Zahra Nader writes about the escalating deportations of Afghan refugees in Iran, with Afghans navigating growing hostility, systemic neglect and violence while being forcibly
Nearly a million Afghan refugees have been deported from Iran in 2025 – many after brutal detention and abuse – to face uncertainty and a humanitarian crisis in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan
Pakistan’s flawed domestic and foreign policies – especially its mishandling of Afghanistan – have led to a deterioration in its relations with both the rival superpowers of China and the United States
While trying to secure their competing interests, India and China will both help bring investment into Afghanistan and legitimacy to the Taliban government
India wants to normalise ties with Afghanistan even with the Taliban in power, which threatens Pakistan’s security and fight against cross-border militancy
Attack on Shia convoy, part of ongoing sectarian bloodshed in Kurram district, shows how Pakistan’s government, Sunni majority and Islamist militant groups have left Shias dehumanised and fighting for their lives
