You are here
Dr Zainab Akhter has a PhD from the Centre for International Politics, Organization, and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. She also has an MPhil from the same university as well as a post graduate degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir. Zainab was earlier a Research Officer with the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS), and has also worked with the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) as a Research Associate and at India Institute as a researcher. She has interned with the Hindustan Times and has been awarded the Ladakh Women Writers Award for the year 2008 by Charkha, a Delhi-based NGO. She was selected for the India-Pakistan Legislative Fellowship 2017 by the US Government and was placed as the India Legislative Fellow at Hudson Institute, a think tank based in Washington DC.
Her areas of research interest are Soft Power, Cultural Diplomacy, India-Pakistan relations, CBMs, people-to-people diplomacy, Jammu and Kashmir (with special focus on Ladakh). She has extensively travelled in Pakistan and Baltistan. She is part of the Editorial Team for the Journal of International Association of Ladakh Studies, a member of the International Association of Ladakh Studies (IALS), Communities without Boundaries International, an international nongovernment organization that works to build peace and Women’s Regional Network, a network of women civil society leaders working together to advance women’s rights and regional peace in South Asia. She has presented papers in various national and international conferences and has published research papers and articles in journals, websites and newspapers on strategic issues related to Pakistan, India-Pakistan relations, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir and Ladakh.
Her journal articles include: “India-Pakistan Relations: Efficacy of Culture,” Millennial Asia: An International Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2016; “Indo-Pak Diplomacy: Modi’s Pakistan Policy,” Mainstream, Vol. 54, No. 9, 2016; “The Strategic Importance of the Siachen Glacier for India,” Indian Defence Review, February 2016.
She has also reviewed a book titled Conflict in Jammu & Kashmir: Impact on Polity, Society, and Economy, which was published in Book Review, Vol. 36, No. 9, 2012. Her latest publications are In Pakistan’s Tryst with Democracy Shadow of Military looms large, published in Daily O, 18 August 2018 and Pakistan and the Politics of CPEC: A Rethink on the Anvil, published in South Asian Voices (SAV), 21 October 2018.
The Sino-Indian Conflict in Ladakh: An Explainer
Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article ‘The Sino-Indian Conflict in Ladakh: An Explainer’ has been published in South Asian Voices, on August 14, 2020.
In order to understand the standoff, it is important to understand the geostrategic significance of its location and socio-cultural aspirations of the region in question, Ladakh. Often referred to as a “cold desert” and known for its international tourism, Ladakh’s history provides fertile ground for exploring the roots of the current standoff, writes Dr. Akhter.
Exploring Ladakh’s Turkic links
Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article ‘Exploring Ladakh’s Turkic links’ has been published in Stawa Magazine on August 04, 2020.
Owing to its geo-strategic location, Ladakh has historically played an important role in ancient trade especially the Silk Route. It was the melting point of culture that connected the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia, China and Tibet. There was a special connection between Ladakh and Turkestan in Central Asia, writes Dr. Akhter.
Pashtun Tahafuz Movement Compounds Pakistan’s Worries
The Pakistan state has clearly failed to suppress the voice of the Pashtuns in the face of their indomitable courage to fight for their rights, and as they say, within the confines of the Pakistan Constitution.
Understanding the India-China standoff in Ladakh
Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article on Indo-China Ladakh dispute, titled ‘Understanding the India-China standoff in Ladakh’ has been published online by Stawa Magazine.
The lingering pain of Partition
Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article on India-Pakistan partition, titled ‘Lingering pain of Partition’ has been published online by Stawa Magzine on May 26, 2020.
The Partition of India and Pakistan was not just a separation of land but also a division of thousands of families, writes Dr. Akhter.
Read Complete Article [+]
COVID-19: Pakistan Caught Off Guard
Research Associate under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article on Pakistan’s fight against COVID-19, titled ‘COVID-19: Pakistan Caught Off Guard’ has been published by the All India Radio (AIR) World Service, an External Services Division of AIR, on April 24, 2020.
Pakistan’s Fight Against COVID-19: Analysing Delivery Deficiencies
It is feared that Imran Khan’s move to sideline the already alienated opposition and continuous bickering between the federal and provincial governments would undermine the national effort against COVID-19.
Could the Kartarpur corridor herald a Ladakh corridor for the Baltis?
Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter's article on Ladakh corridor, titled 'Could the Kartarpur corridor herald a Ladakh corridor for the Baltis?' has been published by the Asia Dialogue, University of Nottingham, on March 25, 2020.
A Ladakh corridor like the Kartarpur one will bring an end to the miseries of these mountain people and add another chapter to the confidence-building measures of India and Pakistan, writes Dr. Akhter.
Pakistan In A Bind Over Extension To Army Chief
Research Associate under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article on tenure extension of Pakistan’s Army Chief, titled ‘Pakistan In A Bind Over Extension To Army Chief’ has been published by All India Radio (AIR) World Service, an external services division of AIR, on January 11, 2020.
The article analyses the ambiguity over the Services Act Bill that is meant to regulate the tenures of not only the Army but all the services’ chiefs.
Read Complete Article [+]
Is the indictment of Hafiz Saeed a farce or real?
Research Associate under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Dr. Zainab Akhter’s article on the United Nations (UN) designated terrorist, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief, and the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks Hafiz Saeed, titled ‘Is The Indictment Of Hafiz Saeed A Farce Or Real?’, has been published by All India Radio (AIR) World Service, an external services division of AIR, on December 13, 2019.