India gave IWT six decades of good faith; Pakistan used dispute machinery to delay projects

IANS | July 18, 2026 8:02 PM

Washington, July 18 (IANS) India's rejection of the latest award issued by the “illegally constituted” Hague-based Court of Arbitration (CoA) under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as "null and void" is based on its interpretation of the treaty's own dispute resolution procedure. While New Delhi's objection is procedural, concerning the forum authorised under the treaty, it maintains that it remains willing to be bound by the mechanism prescribed by the treaty, a report has stated.

Pakistan fueling insurgency by targeting peaceful activism in Balochistan

IANS | July 18, 2026 6:50 PM

Islamabad, July 18 (IANS) The life imprisonment handed down to Baloch human rights defender Mahrang Baloch last month extends beyond the fate of one activist in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. It has raised a larger question confronting Islamabad: whether a state can effectively defeat violent extremism while simultaneously shrinking the space for peaceful dissent, a report has stated.

Global silence emboldens Pakistan’s relentless persecution of Ahmadis

IANS | July 18, 2026 6:22 PM

Islamabad, July 18 (IANS) Despite the systematic persecution of Ahmadis, Pakistan has rarely faced the sustained international pressure that such state-sponsored discrimination would ordinarily invite. The discrimination, embedded in the country's constitution, penal code, electoral system, police enforcement, and judicial processes, is often treated as a domestic sensitivity rather than a system of religious repression, a report has stated.

India emerges as trusted capacity building partner for Southeast Asia

IANS | July 18, 2026 5:59 PM

Canberra, July 18 (IANS) India has emerged as a valuable partner for ASEAN by focusing its cooperation on areas where the regional bloc seeks support, while remaining least concerned about dependence. When disaster strikes maritime Southeast Asia — whether a typhoon across the mainland, an earthquake in Myanmar, or a vessel in distress in the Andaman Sea — the true measure is not who is most powerful, but who responds first, how quickly, and at what cost, a report has stated.

Gender inequality, economic hardship fuels human trafficking in Bangladesh: Report

IANS | July 18, 2026 5:22 PM

Dhaka, July 18 (IANS) As Bangladesh grapples with the persistent challenge of human trafficking, women and girls remain disproportionately vulnerable, with gender inequality, child marriage, limited educational opportunities, and labour market discrimination exposing them to greater risks of exploitation, a report has stated.

Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation ideals under strain amid concerns over democratic governance

IANS | July 18, 2026 5:13 PM

Dhaka, July 18 (IANS) Although Bangladesh has emerged from the struggle against authoritarianism, it has at times faced criticism for adopting authoritarian tendencies and restricting democratic rights. Founded through immense sacrifice, the country continues to debate how best to safeguard the spirit of its independence, a report has highlighted.