Evidence-based analysis on conflict, militancy, security, foreign policy and strategic affairs from PICSS researchers and contributors.
TTP Exploits KP Governor’s Rule to Promote Militancy in Pakistan
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has seized upon the imposition of Governor’s Rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to make an appeal that goes far beyond opposing a controversial political…
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP): Quarterly Assessment, July–September 2026
During the third quarter of 2026, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) pursued organisational consolidation, geographical expansion and technological adaptation while substantially intensifying its propaganda and recruitment activities. Developments documented in…
IPC’s Afghan Predicament Conference: Regional Connectivity Aspirations Collide with Unresolved Security and Governance Challenges
Afghanistan, the heart of Asia, has its own dynamics of dealing with the outside world. Five years after the Taliban took over the country, serious questions are arising…
From Kohat to Kabul: How One Attack Can Collapse a Diplomatic Opening
Sometimes, a single incident can alter the trajectory of an already fragile situation. The September 18 Kohat attack appears to have done precisely that. Coming at a moment…
Al-Qaeda’s Evolution in South Asia: Leadership, Operational Capacity and the Emerging Militant Nexus
Twenty-five years after 9/11, Al-Qaeda in the Subcontinent (القاعدہ برصغیر) (often named as Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent -AQIS) has neither disappeared nor returned to the centralized model associated…
PUBG and Militancy in Balochistan
Research by Yasir Sial, report written by Aima Ishaq PUBG Battlegrounds is being used for radicalisation of extremism, specifically by the sympathisers of banned Baloch ethno-nationalist and separatist…
Security First, Connectivity Later: Badakhshan’s Crisis and China’s Cautious Calculus
The sharp deterioration of security in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province in recent months should ring alarm bells in Beijing. What was once a relatively peripheral concern is rapidly…
From Khyber to Kurram: Decoding TTP’s Latest Noor Wali Mehsud Video and Its Strategic Messaging
The August 2026 video continues to counter this narrative indirectly by visually placing the organization’s leadership within Pakistan’s tribal belt. By emphasizing domestic presence, TTP can attempt to…
The Abeyance Gambit: Why India’s Treaty Realignment is Pakistan’s Hidden Opportunity
Abdullah Khan At the high-profile international seminar organized by Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Islamabad, the atmosphere was thick with existential dread. Held under the banner…
Pakistan’s Diplomatic Masterclass: From the Brink to the Islamabad Breakthrough
It was Pakistan — a nation long stereotyped in global headlines for its internal security challenges — that stepped forward when prospects looked bleakest and delivered the most…
From Dialogue to Decisive Action: Is Pakistan’s New Counter-Terrorism Model Built to Last?
Pakistan’s counter-terrorism (CT) architecture has undergone a significant transformation since late 2022. Under the leadership of Field Marshal General Syed Asim Munir, the state has moved away from…
PAK-US RELATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
By Muhammad Haris Khan When Pakistan came into existence in 1947, it entered a regional environment marked more by hostility than goodwill. From the very outset, India’s leadership…
Militant Trends, TLP Fallout, and Evolving Regional Geopolitics: Pakistan’s Security and Political Week in Review
During the week under review, militant activity in Pakistan declined, with 16 attacks recorded compared to 23 the previous week. Despite this reduction, 22 fatalities—including seven security personnel…
Operation Bunyaan-un-Marsoos: The New Art of War
By Dr Farah Naz Operation Bunyaan-un-Marsoos (a wall of solid lead), which can be difficult to pronounce and even harder to understand, was launched by Pakistan against India…
Analysis of ISKP’s Magazine “Voice of Khorasan” (Issue 44)
The 44th issue of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP)’s magazine, Voice of Khorasan, serves as a platform for the group to propagate its ideological narrative, justify its actions,…
More High Profile Attacks in Pakistan
During the week of March 7–13, 2025, Pakistan witnessed a slight decrease in militant attacks, though the intensity of violence remained unchanged. A total of 15 militant attacks…
Four Suicide Attacks in One Week (PICSS Weekly Insight)
Overview During the week of February 28 to March 6, 2025, Pakistan witnessed a surge in militant violence, with 19 attacks reported across the country compared to 14…
BLA’s Shifting Claims: A Timeline of the Jaffar Express Hijacking
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the hijacking of the Jaffar Express at Bolan Pass’s Tunnel Number 8 near Mushkaf Dhadar, Balochistan, on March 11, 2025.…