Zainab Akhter is Research Analyst – Pak Digest at Manohar Parrikar Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. Click here for detailed profile.
Research Assistant, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s commentary on Aasia Bibi, titled ‘The Acquittal of Aasia Bibi’ has been published in AIR World Service, an External Services Division of All India Radio on February 03, 2019.
The commentary analyses blasphemy law in Pakistan, in wake of the violent protests by religious hardliners following Aasia Bibi’s acquittal.
Although the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement has been able to mainstream the Pashtun issue and has inspired popular empathy, its anti-establishment thrust has made it a soft target for the pro-establishment media and political actors.
Research Analyst, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s commentary on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, titled ‘Is Pakistan Cost-Cutting The CPEC?’ was published in AIR World Service, an External Services Division of All India Radio, on January 17, 2019.
Research Consultant, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s commentary on Imran Khan’s maiden visit to China, titled ‘Imran’s China Visit: In Search Of An Economic Package?’ was published in AIR World Service, an External Services Division of All India Radio, on November 05, 2018.
Research Consultant, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s article on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), titled ‘Pakistan and the Politics of CPEC: A Rethink on the Anvil?’ was published in ‘South Asian Voices’ on October 21, 2018.
Research Consultant, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s commentary on Pakistan’s economic crisis, titled ‘IMF, Pakistan and The Chinese Debt-Trap!’ was published by AIR World Service, an External Services Division of All India Radio, on October 19, 2018.
Research Consultant, under the Pakistan News Digest Project, IDSA, Ms Zainab Akhter’s commentary on the Army’s influence on Pakistan politics, titled ‘Pakistan's tryst with democracy, shadow of military looms large’ was published in ‘Daily O’ on August 18, 2018.
The commentary analyses the ever-growing power of the military establishment, and their ever-growing interference in the 70-year-old history of Pakistan.
With the ever increasing support and swelling number of protesters, Pashteen changed the name of the organisation from the Mehsud Tahafuz Movement to Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a Movement for the Protection of Pashtuns.
The idea of abolishing FATA as a distinct administrative entity and merging it with KP led to a country-wide debate, with some commentators pointing to the futility of the merger and others advocating its early implementation in the interest of peace and stability in the region.
Given an already upset population and the presence of anti-establishment factions, the unequal distribution of the benefits of CPEC is likely to ignite protests and cause a setback to the initiative as well to the Pakistan establishment.
One Year of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement
Although the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement has been able to mainstream the Pashtun issue and has inspired popular empathy, its anti-establishment thrust has made it a soft target for the pro-establishment media and political actors.