Syed Irfan Ashraf

IS the turf war within the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan an outcome of muscle-flexing or a shift in the militancy... Published 19 May, 2014 06:50am

AFTER several days of sustained air strikes against militants’ hideouts in the tribal belt and adjacent settled... Published 10 Mar, 2014 07:49am

WHY would the Taliban try to recruit insiders from the ranks of journalists? This was the first question that came ... Published 15 Feb, 2014 06:37am

THE Dera Ismail Khan jailbreak was alarming. But the government’s response was equally embarrassing. Over 100... Updated 17 Aug, 2013 07:57am

ON television, a couple of celebrity anchors were discussing the rising tide of conspiracy theories in Pakistan. One... Published 23 Jul, 2013 07:19am

TO borrow an idea from sociologist Victor Burner, terrorism in Pakistan has become a social drama. Almost every... Published 08 Jul, 2013 04:54am

IN his first press conference after winning the elections last month, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez... Published 18 Jun, 2013 05:02am

WITH a congressional hearing in the United States on the drone issue set for April 23, some groups in that country are making efforts to create a consensus for bringing an end to drone strikes in Pakistan and elsewhere. Published 22 Apr, 2013 05:10am

FOLLOWING an embedded visit to the terrorism-hit Waziristan last December, an Islamabad-based journalist broke a story about cracks appearing in the leadership of the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Published 12 Feb, 2013 02:46am

MILITANCY may have been overcome to a large extent in Swat, but the disruption it caused in the lives of so many families, individuals and institutions has yet to be replaced by normalcy. For this, both the militants Published 29 Dec, 2012 10:03pm

THE attack on Malala Yousufzai’s life was shocking for people around the world, but I see no reason to be surprised. Published 20 Oct, 2012 10:03pm

THE world over, the media and the military have never had an easy relationship. Published 17 Aug, 2012 02:03am

IT would be wishful thinking that in future, our security institutions will prevent the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan or other militants from repeating something such as the Bannu jailbreak two months ago. Published 11 Jun, 2012 12:10am

DURING a visit to Tank, a Mehsud tribesman surprised me with some blunt remarks. Supporting drone attacks in Fata, the young tribesman from South Waziristan Agency said, “We see in the drones our only hope to go back home.” Published 20 Feb, 2012 11:35pm

“I AM already on their hit list. I don’t want to win a race against a natural death by writing something about the Taliban,” said Mukarram Khan Atif, with a reluctant smile as he tried to put off my request to publish something from his vast repository of Published 01 Feb, 2012 12:10am

DOES poverty have anything to do with militancy in Pakistan`s Pakhtun belt? This question attracted much focus a few years ago when the insurgency inflicted the Malakand division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Published 17 Jan, 2012 02:04am

FOR many militant commanders of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan who operate from Fata, reconciliation with the government appears to have become a priority. Published 31 Dec, 2011 08:12pm

JOURNALISTS in Pakistan are familiar with `pre-censorship`. However, few focus on self-censorship and the harm that does to the ideal of the public`s right to know. Published 19 Dec, 2011 07:53pm

“I curse my name Malala — mournful — which keeps happiness away from me,” she said. Published 05 Dec, 2011 10:53pm

A DAY before the Thall-Parachinar road reopened, I was at the Peshawar Airport along with other passengers climbing... Published 09 Nov, 2011 11:00pm