There are some dates we remember because history asks us to. Others remain with us because we can still remember exactly where we were when the world changed. September 11, 2001, is one of those days for me. I was living in Calgary, Canada, and working my morning shift at Nortel Networks. What began as...
Robert Thorpe: The man who gave his life for Kashmir
In the troubled history of nineteenth-century Kashmir, few figures stand out with the moral courage and compassion of Lieut Robert Thorpe—a British traveler and writer who visited the Valley in the 1860s. It was an era in which the Kashmiri Muslims were reeling under the despotic rule of Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1857–1885), who assumed the...
THE PRICE OF GEOPOLITICAL DIVERSIFICATION: THE ECONOMICS OF THE MIDDLE CORRIDOR.
Infrastructure Investment, Debt, Capacity Utilization and the Changing Commercial Geography of China–Europe Trade Trade Facilitation Network (TFN) Research Team Under the supervision of Muhammad Anwar Founder & Chairman, Trade Facilitation Network Executive Summary The Middle Corridor is evolving from a transport alternative into one of Eurasia’s most significant emerging infrastructure programmes. Across the countries connecting...
When Security Becomes the Language of Occupation: The case of Jammu & Kashmir.
An analysis of how securitisation in Jammu and Kashmir affects political participation, human rights, mobility, livelihoods and the everyday lives of Kashmiris.
WAR ON IRAN: DAMAGE TO LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE
A TFN assessment examines damage to Iran’s ports, roads, railways and airports, while analysing the wider impact of Strait of Hormuz disruption on global trade, energy prices, freight costs, inflation and economic growth.
Rs2.935 Trillion to IPPs in 11 Months: How Long Can Pakistan Afford This Governance?
Pakistan paid Rs2.935 trillion to Independent Power Producers in the first 11 months of FY2025–26, including Rs1.565 trillion in capacity payments. The staggering figure raises serious questions about Pakistan’s power-sector planning, economic priorities and governance.
Women’s Rights and Gender-Based Violence in IIoJK
The Kashmir conflict has had profound consequences for women, with documented allegations of sexual violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, displacement and psychological trauma. This analysis examines the evidence, legal concerns and competing Indian and Pakistani narratives surrounding women’s rights in IIOJK.
India’s bid to reshape Kashmir narrative
The Kashmir issue, as the world has known it, has now snowballed into a highly complex conflict. It not only threatens the peace and security of the entire South Asian region but also continues to take a heavy toll on the lives of millions of Kashmiris who have remained trapped in this deadly conflict for...
India’s Regional Connectivity Paradox: Trade Integration, Transit Rights and the Economic Cost of Geopolitical Constraints.
Has India’s security-driven foreign policy progressively overridden its economic objective of regional connectivity? Research & Analysis: Trade Facilitation Network (TFN) Research Team Trade Facilitation Network (TFN) 07 September 2026 India’s economic geography provides the country with an exceptional potential position within the emerging trade architecture of Asia. Its western frontier provides the shortest geographical approach...
New Provinces: Is the Problem Provinces or Governance?
The debate over the creation of new provinces in Pakistan is once again gaining momentum, and it now appears to be moving beyond a mere proposal or political slogan towards an actual intention. But the very first question we must ask is: Is the real problem facing Pakistan the number of provinces, their geographical boundaries,...







