Pakistan’s ‘Praetorian’ state is a troubling model for a Taliban-led Afghanistan

Issue Brief Apr 1, 2025

Rescuing Pakistan’s economy

By Aasim M. Husain

For decades, Pakistan has struggled with a declining standard of living, skyrocketing public debt, and economic policies that have failed to address the root causes of its stagnation.
Economy & Business Middle East
Pakistan’s ‘Praetorian’ state is a troubling model for a Taliban-led Afghanistan

Issue Brief Nov 14, 2024

Mapping South Asia’s digital landscape

By Mark Linscott, Gopal Nadadur

Data protection regulations are becoming critical for South Asia, where some countries are increasingly driven by digital economies.
Bangladesh Digital Policy
Pakistan’s ‘Praetorian’ state is a troubling model for a Taliban-led Afghanistan

Memo to… May 16, 2024

Memo to the UN secretary-general: Establish a UN conflict prevention mechanism for the Afghanistan region

By Laurie Nathan and Nilofar Sakhi

The risk of conflict between Afghanistan and its neighbors has been rising since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and is now at a critical point. The UN has tools that have lowered the risk of major conflict in other tense neighborhoods. It’s time to deploy them for Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Central Asia

Events

Online Event Mon, February 12, 2024 • 10:00 am ET

Pakistan’s political economy after elections
Elections Pakistan South Asia

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

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Content

New Atlanticist

Jan 20, 2022

Pakistan’s ‘Praetorian’ state is a troubling model for a Taliban-led Afghanistan

By Ben Acheson

If the Taliban emulates Pakistan’s Praetorian model, it will further erode all work done to grow a healthy Afghan civil society and develop civilian institutions.

Afghanistan Democratic Transitions

In the News

Jan 18, 2022

Younus writes for Profit by Pakistan Today, “Do not ban crypto”

By Atlantic Council

Digital Currencies Economy & Business

In the News

Jan 15, 2022

Akhtar joins Al Jazeera English to discuss Pakistan’s new National Security Policy

By South Asia Center

National Security Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Jan 15, 2022

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan: An emerging right-wing threat to Pakistan’s democracy

By Roohan Ahmed

Videos circulating on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms showed a violent mob dragging a half-dead man on the streets of Sialkot, Pakistan on December 1, 2021. As the TLP’s influence grows and its ideology spreads, the de-radicalization of Pakistani society looks like an even more distant dream.

Extremism Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Jan 12, 2022

The Afghan Taliban aren’t likely to give up the TTP. Here’s why.

By Fahd Humayun

This week, a commander of the anti-Pakistan terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was killed by sniper fire in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Afghanistan’s new ruling dispensation under the Afghan Taliban is unlikely to have had a hand in the hit, despite Islamabad’s insistence that the new regime take action against the outlawed terrorist group.

Afghanistan Indo-Pacific

In the News

Jan 10, 2022

Akhtar reviews “Pakistan’s Nuclear Bomb: A Story of Defiance, Deterrence and Deviance” by Hassan Abbas at Cambridge University Press

By South Asia Center

Nuclear Deterrence Pakistan

SouthAsiaSource

Dec 28, 2021

How not to privatize: K-Electric and circular debt in Pakistan

By Ammar Khan

K-Electric could have been the jewel in the crown of Pakistan’s privatization program. Unfortunately, it became a case study in how not to destroy investor confidence and value in Pakistan.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

In the News

Dec 21, 2021

NRSF Javid Ahmad in The Hill: Pakistan is opening a dangerous Pandora’s box with the Taliban

By Atlantic Council

Indo-Pacific Pakistan

Event Recap

Dec 20, 2021

Event recap: “The transformative potential of crypto and blockchain for Pakistan”

By Fahim Ahmad

The Atlantic Council South Asia Center's Pakistan initiative, convened a panel discussion on December 13 to discuss the potential of digital currency in Pakistan and how it will benefit the socio-economic situation in the country.

Digital Currencies Digital Policy

SouthAsiaSource

Dec 16, 2021

The world must pay attention to Pakistan’s air pollution crisis

By Dawar Butt

In 2021, Lahore was dubbed “the second megacity with the worst air quality” – only second to New Delhi. But air quality is a country-wide, perennial problem in Pakistan, which as a whole has also been ranked as the second worst country in the world in terms of air quality.

Climate Change & Climate Action Energy & Environment
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Experts

Staff

Manal Fatima

Assistant Director, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Disinformation Middle East

Fellow

Erum Haider

Assistant Professor, Political Science and Environmental Studies, The College of Wooster

South Asia Center

Civil Society Economy & Business

Fellow

Hameed Hakimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

South Asia Center

Migration Security & Defense

Fellow

Carrie Lee

Senior Advisor

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Central Asia

Fellow

Paul D. Miller

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoStrategy Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Pakistan

Fellow

Cameron Munter

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center South Asia Center

National Security Conflict
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