Bright Minds

The transformation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir since 2019 should not be understood in isolation, but rather in a broader context, with a slight touch of history as well, when Maharaja Hari Singh was the prince and Kashmir was a princely state. During the year 1947, Raja Hari Singh was given a choice to join India or Pakistan. Due to the tribal invasion from Pakistan, he decided to join India and signed the Instrument of Accession. After that, Kashmir was given a special status under Article 370, which declares Kashmir as an autonomous state where the local government can make decisions except in a few areas like defense, foreign affairs, and communications, which are controlled directly by the Indian government. Along with Article 35A in the Constitution, it gave rights to the people. Unfortunately, after the emergence of Narendra Modi, Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated on August 5, 2019, and many new acts were introduced, such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA...

Nuclear weapons are considered the most powerful weapons in the world. Only a few countries have developed them. These weapons are usually placed on missiles or aircraft and are called nuclear warheads. Pakistan’s Nuclear Capability : According to recent estimates, Pakistan has around 170 nuclear warheads in 2026. Experts believe this number may increase to 200–225 warheads by the year 2030. This increase is linked to the country’s growing production of plutonium and the development of new delivery systems. Pakistan has several systems that can carry nuclear warheads. Land-based missiles: Shaheen-II missile — range about 2,000 km Shaheen-III missile — range about 2,750 km Ababeel missile — range about 2,200 km and designed with MIRV technology Short-range missile systems: Ghaznavi missile — about 300 km range Nasr missile — about 70 km range Cruise missiles: Babur missile series — about 350–700 km range Aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons: F-16 Fighting Falcon Mirage III fight...

In the post-Partition era, women played a vital role in nation-building after 1947. The Muslim Personal Law (1948) and the Family Laws Ordinance (1952) were drafted during this period. Fatima Jinnah and Begum Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan worked for the political participation, welfare, and social development of women. These laws were early steps toward giving women legal protection. They also spoke against strict purdah (complete isolation of women) and encouraged women for public participation. During the era of Zia-ul-Haq, women strongly resisted his Islamization policies. He passed the Hudood Ordinance in 1979, under which rape and adultery were placed in the same category of zina. Women were required to provide four male witnesses to prove rape; otherwise, it could be treated as sex outside marriage. This created serious concern, and many women were afraid to report rape cases. Women activists focused on legal advocacy and formed the Women's Action Forum (WAF) in 1981 to fight a...

The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran and Oman. It connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. At its narrowest point, it is about 33 km (around 21–22 miles) wide. Around one-fifth of the world’s oil, nearly 22 million barrels per day, passes through this strait. About 20–30% of LNG and 20% of global petroleum move through the Strait of Hormuz on their way to other countries. Major exporters using this passage include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran. This clearly shows its global importance as one of the world’s most important energy routes.  Due to the ongoing conflict, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has sent a warning message to ships using radio channels, telling them not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This adds time and cost to the global trade. In simple words, even a short disruption can lead to a hike in oil and gas prices worldwide. It will also negatively affect Pakistan's oil and gas imports because the country depends heavily on G...