Afghanistan

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Pakistan's special representative on Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, said Afghanistan's neighboring countries and Russia maintain a mutual "understanding" that facilitates "bilateral trade, currency swap, and barter trade agreements" with the Afghan Taliban, Voice of America reported on Nov. 16.

Afghanistan: Pakistan Outlines Regional 'Understanding' With Afghan Taliban

Pakistan's caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar said the country would "possibly seek another loan" from the International Monetary Fund, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 16.

Pakistan: Government May Seek Another IMF Loan Following First Bailout Review

The Election Commission of Pakistan and President Arif Alvi agreed to postpone general elections until Feb. 8, 2024, Geo News reported on Nov. 2.

Pakistan: General Elections Postponed for Second Time to Feb. 8

A five-member bench of Pakistan's Supreme Court issued a short order declaring the military trials of civilians unconstitutional, Dawn reported on Oct. 23.

Pakistan: Supreme Court Declares Civilian Trials in Military Courts Unconstitutional

The Islamabad High Court approved a protective bail for Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in two graft cases, and an accountability court suspended Sharif's arrest warrant in the Toshakhana corruption case, Geo News reported on Oct. 19.

Pakistan: Court Approves Former Prime Minister's Petition for Protective Bail

The Election Commission of Pakistan announced that parliamentary elections will be held in the last week of January 2024, AP reported on Sept.  21.

Pakistan: Elections Scheduled for Last Week of January 2024

Justice Qazi Faez Isa, a reputed "maverick" who has previously criticized the military's influential role in Pakistan's politics, was sworn in on Sept. 17 as Pakistan's new chief justice after former Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was automatically retired upon reaching the age limit of 65, Reuters reported on Sept. 18.

Pakistan: Reputed Judicial Maverick Sworn In as New Chief Justice

Pakistan's Islamabad High Court suspended former Prime Minister Imran Khan's three-year sentence in the Toshakhana corruption case, Dawn reported on Aug. 29.

Pakistan: Islamabad High Court Suspends Khan's Corruption Sentence

Assessments

Afghan refugees arrive at the Chaman border crossing in Pakistan before departing for Afghanistan on Nov. 4, 2023. 

Islamabad's push to send Afghan migrants back home will likely worsen security threats in Pakistan, while further destabilizing Afghanistan and potentially the broader region.

The Implications of Pakistan's Deportation Drive and New Cross-Border Travel Policy

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Israeli tanks on the border with Lebanon on Oct. 26, 2023, in Israel amid the ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Energy

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: A Possible Middle Eastern Escalation, an IMF Team Visits Pakistan

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A man enters a foreign currency exchange shop in Islamabad, Pakistan, on July 11, 2023.

Inflation remains high in several South Asian countries amid political and economic constraints on reform.

Inflation Rates Across South Asia

China

A policeman stands under Chinese and Pakistani flags along a road in Islamabad ahead of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng's visit on July 30, 2023.

Pakistan's economic pressures and worsening militancy will further delay the completion of Chinese investment projects in the country and exacerbate bilateral tensions.

The Mounting Challenges to China and Pakistan's CPEC Ambitions

Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan denounce his arrest during a protest in Lahore on Aug. 7, 2023.

Khan's latest conviction may not spur immediate protests, but his legal troubles and potential election delays could trigger another bout of violent unrest later this year.

Pakistan's Former Prime Minister Has Been Arrested -- Again. What Now?

Niger

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Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will host a summit on the Amazon on Aug. 7-8 in an effort to draft a common policy for the first time ever for countries with territory in the Amazon rainforest.

The Weekly Rundown: Ukraine Peace Talks in Saudi Arabia, Brazil Hosts an Amazon Summit

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What Q3 security risks should companies expect and prepare for?

Essential Geopolitics: An Overview of RANE's Q3 Forecast

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Employees of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on June 20, 2023, arrange ballots in Guatemala City during preparations for the upcoming general elections.

The Weekly Rundown: Guatemala Holds General Elections, Pakistan's IMF Bailout Program Expires

A protest May 9, 2023, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, against the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The former prime minister's arrest increases nationwide risks of protests, social unrest, travel disruptions, and potential violence, and notably worsens political instability.

The former prime minister's arrest increases nationwide risks of protests, social unrest, travel disruptions and potential violence, and notably worsens political instability.

In Pakistan, Imran Khan's Arrest Will Worsen Already Heightened Political Instability

Paraguay

United Kingdom

A general view shows a Knesset session in Jerusalem, Israel, on March 20, 2023. 

The Weekly Rundown: The U.K. and Paraguay Hold Elections, Israel's Knesset Resumes

Vendors at a market warm themselves around a bonfire in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, during a nationwide power outage on Jan. 23, 2023.

Structural deficiencies and policy uncertainty could push the Pakistani economy into a recession, exacerbating political instability and security challenges.

Where Is Pakistan's Economic Crisis Headed?

Learn how the rise of the extremist group Islamic State Khorasan Province is plaguing Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Essential Geopolitics: The Implications of Deteriorating Security in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Pakistan is located in South Asia and is bordered by Iran, Afghanistan, China and India. To the north are the Himalayan Mountains, which branch off into the Hindu Kush range. To the southwest is the vast Balochistan Plateau, which is arid and sparsely populated. In the south is the Thar Desert and a 650-mile coast along the Arabian sea. The Indus River begins in the Tibetan Plateau and cuts through the country’s eastern half.  The river nourishes the fertile plains of the Punjab, the country’s populous core region and its political and economic heartland.    Pakistan’s primary geographic challenge arises from its borders, which do not correspond to natural geographic boundaries. The modern borders of Pakistan were created in 1947, when the nation was carved out of the Muslim-majority northwest and northeast portions of India. The countries have fought three wars since independence, and each claims the territory of Kashmir. Bangladesh, then known as “East Pakistan,” gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 with India’s help.  This reinforced the notion within Pakistan that India was an existential threat. Pakistan has long sought to gain influence in Afghanistan, both to secure strategic depth and to prevent Kabul from falling into New Delhi’s orbit.    On the west, the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan — called the Durand Line — has remained contentious since the British created it in 1893. Kabul claims that Afghanistan’s true boundary runs deep into Pakistan to absorb the Pashtun tribal belt divided between both countries. The mountainous terrain has made the region difficult to govern, ensuring that the border remains porous.  

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

The Politics of Pipelines

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

SITUATION REPORTS

Afghanistan: Pakistan Outlines Regional 'Understanding' With Afghan Taliban

Pakistan: Government May Seek Another IMF Loan Following First Bailout Review

Pakistan: General Elections Postponed for Second Time to Feb. 8

Pakistan: Supreme Court Declares Civilian Trials in Military Courts Unconstitutional

Pakistan: Court Approves Former Prime Minister's Petition for Protective Bail

Pakistan: Elections Scheduled for Last Week of January 2024

Pakistan: Reputed Judicial Maverick Sworn In as New Chief Justice

Pakistan: Islamabad High Court Suspends Khan's Corruption Sentence

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