menu_open Columnists
Abdul Basit

Abdul Basit

HuffPost

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Growing Use of Drones by Militant Groups in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Militants are using commercially available quadcopter drones to drop bombs on police stations, security check posts, and military convoys.

08.08.2025 4

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Implications of ISKP’s Declaration of War Against the Baloch Liberation Army

ISKP is weaker than the BLA in Balochistan. That could restrain it from attacking the latter in the immediate future.

26.07.2025 5

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Is the Islamic State of Khorasan Province Losing Momentum?

This year, ISKP’s propaganda output has seen a sharp decline, and its external attack capability has also weakened. What changed?

26.06.2025 10

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

What Is TRF, the Terror Group That Brought India and Pakistan to the Brink of War?

Some say it is an offshoot of the LeT, with roots in Pakistan. Others claim it is an amalgam of remnants of terror outfits active in Kashmir.

22.05.2025 4

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

The Evolution of the Baloch Liberation Army

With growing operational capacity, BLA is targeting Chinese projects, blocking highways, and briefly taking over control of remote towns.

17.04.2025 3

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

The Perils of Ignoring the Taliban Regime’s Support for Terror Groups

While Pakistan is bearing the brunt of terrorist attacks emanating from Afghanistan, the threat is wider. Regional and global peace is in peril.

31.03.2025 6

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Implications of TTP-Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group Competition for Pakistan’s Internal Security

The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 was a watershed moment for various jihadist groups in South and Central Asia. It...

24.02.2025 10

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Geonomics, Not Geopolitics is Driving Pakistan’s Courting of Bangladesh

It is part of Islamabad’s effort to enhance and diversify economic relations in its immediate neighborhood, focusing on trade and connectivity.

14.02.2025 7

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Pakistan’s Multi-Pronged Afghan Strategy

While security concerns are important, the strategy is not security-centric but pays equal attention to diplomatic, political and economic engagement.

27.01.2025 8

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Escalating Militant Violence in Pakistan

So far in November, Pakistan has suffered around 89 terrorist attacks, including five suicide bombings, which left 298 people dead.

26.11.2024 5

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Impact of the Gaza War on Militancy in South Asia and Beyond

The ISK is criticizing the Taliban for paying lip service to the Palestinian cause and shying away from sending its fighters to fight against Israel.

15.10.2024 20

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

Conspiracy Theories as Fomenters of Violent Extremism in South Asia

The most vivid and longstanding conspiracy theory among the region's jihadist groups targets the polio vaccine.

30.09.2024 2

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

The Insecurity-Underdevelopment Nexus in Balochistan

Separatist violence has undermined CPEC, which was promoted as a vehicle of development. Baloch separatists view CPEC through a neo-colonial lens.

28.08.2024 2

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit

A Gen-Z Revolution in Pakistan Will Have to Wait

Ongoing protests in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa fail to strike a chord in Punjab and Sindh, where most Pakistanis live.

16.08.2024 50

The Diplomat

Abdul Basit