<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[brief: Pakistan Monthly]]></title><description><![CDATA[Pakistan Monthly delivers a comprehensive monthly digest of the nation’s key developments across politics, economy, security, governance, and society. This curated roundup synthesizes the month’s most significant events and trends into accessible analysis, helping readers understand the broader patterns shaping Pakistan’s trajectory.]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/s/pakistan-monthly</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!t5V0!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca937f77-9e75-430f-9e7b-6120578010fa_600x600.png</url><title>brief: Pakistan Monthly</title><link>https://brief.pk/s/pakistan-monthly</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:43:22 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://brief.pk/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[briefpk]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[briefpk@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[briefpk@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[briefpk]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[briefpk]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[briefpk@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[briefpk@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[briefpk]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Pakistan Monthly Roundup: March 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Two Wars, One Austerity Order, and the People Who Paid for All Three]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-march-2026</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-march-2026</guid><pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:02:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5uJp!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffb34c5b1-1bb3-4be6-b6c0-84e3991c4301_1200x822.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg" width="725" height="510.31553398058253" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/a4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:290,&quot;width&quot;:412,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:725,&quot;bytes&quot;:41276,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://brief.pk/i/192837775?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!rXVL!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa4ccddb3-0230-4d37-b149-cb3951dc5593_412x290.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>March 2026 arrived with the country fighting one war, mediating a second, and absorbing the economic shock of both simultaneously. The Afghanistan conflict Pakistan&#8217;s own defence minister had named i&#8230;</p>
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          <a href="https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-march-2026">
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pakistan Monthly Roundup: February 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Suicide Bombings, Open War with Kabul, and Consulate Bloodshed in a Country where Ordinary Pakistanis Keep Paying for Elite Miscalculations]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-february</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-february</guid><pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:17:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg" width="980" height="653" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R7oJ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d594db6-5c8b-4f03-8f4a-decab093e8ae_980x653.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>February 2026 was a month in which Pakistan felt under siege from every direction, with a suicide bomber tearing through a Shia mosque in Islamabad, warplanes bombing targets in Afghanistan, and security forces killing Pakistanis on the streets of Karachi outside the United States consulate. Beneath the explosions and televised clashes, an older story kept grinding on, of deepening poverty, mega corruption, and a political order that prefers legal warfare and police raids over genuine consent.</em></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://brief.pk/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe&quot;,&quot;language&quot;:&quot;en&quot;}" data-component-name="SubscribeWidgetToDOM"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">brief is a reader-supported publication. 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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pakistan Monthly Roundup: January 2026]]></title><description><![CDATA[Balochistan Bloodbath, Economic Desperation, and Endless Insurgency]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-january</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-monthly-roundup-january</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[briefpk]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:53:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg" width="1456" height="1092" 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srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Bffz!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffe58c857-2fea-4a96-bc56-1ba3f0fb474b_1920x1440.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>January 2026 was a turbulent and devastating month for Pakistan, dominated by escalating violence, economic vulnerabilities, and political tensions that exposed the nation&#8217;s deep structural crises. While some stabilization signs emerged in macroeconomic indicators, the period was overshadowed by deadly separatist attacks, militant surges, and crushing debt pressures that highlighted Pakistan&#8217;s precarious position on multiple fronts. The month painted a grim picture of a nation struggling with security threats, economic sovereignty erosion, and political instability that continues to undermine development prospects.</em></p><p class="button-wrapper" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://brief.pk/subscribe?&quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Subscribe now&quot;,&quot;action&quot;:null,&quot;class&quot;:null}" data-component-name="ButtonCreateButton"><a class="button primary" href="https://brief.pk/subscribe?"><span>Subscribe now</span></a></p><h3>Top 10 Stories</h3><h4>1. Balochistan Coordinated Attacks Kill Dozens in Deadliest Day</h4><p>The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched one of the most sophisticated and deadly coordinated attacks in recent Pakistani history on January 31, 2026. The assault targeted nine districts across Balochistan province, including suicide bombings and gun assaults on police stations, military installations, a high-security prison, and civilian targets. The carnage resulted in at least 33 deaths, including 18 innocent civilians (among them five women and three children) and 15 security personnel who died defending their posts.</p><p>The meticulously planned attacks demonstrated the growing operational capabilities of Baloch separatist groups. Militants stormed the Kharan district prison, breached security perimeters, and freed approximately 30 inmates before Pakistani forces could respond. Railway tracks were destroyed through systematic sabotage, disrupting transportation networks across the province. The attackers also targeted banking institutions and government facilities in coordinated strikes that stretched security forces thin across multiple locations simultaneously.</p><p>Pakistani military forces responded with  force, launching counter-operations that resulted in the deaths of 100+ militants over the following 24 hours. This represented the highest single-day militant death toll in Balochistan in over two decades. The government accused India of backing the attacks through sponsorship of what Pakistani authorities termed &#8220;Fitna al-Hindustan,&#8221; claiming that external forces were fueling separatist violence in the resource-rich province that borders both Afghanistan and Iran.</p><p>In the immediate aftermath, authorities suspended internet services, mobile communications, and rail operations across affected districts as security operations continued. The attacks exposed persistent grievances among Baloch communities regarding resource exploitation, military operations, and economic marginalization that have fueled the insurgency for decades. The violence underscored Pakistan&#8217;s inability to pacify its southwestern province despite years of military operations and development promises.</p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pakistan’s Davos 2026 Showing]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Study in Diminished Expectations]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/p/pakistans-davos-2026-showing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://brief.pk/p/pakistans-davos-2026-showing</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[briefpk]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 16:02:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg" width="1011" height="561" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:561,&quot;width&quot;:1011,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:571380,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/jpeg&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://brief.pk/i/185721495?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4sD!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04e2622a-251a-47eb-a758-be17af583464_1011x561.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>There&#8217;s something almost tragicomic about watching a nation of 250 million people celebrate a $60 million investment as if it were a watershed moment. Yet that&#8217;s precisely what unfolded at the World &#8230;</em></p>
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   ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Pakistan 2025: A Year of Economic Stagnation and Institutional Collapse]]></title><description><![CDATA[A Critical Year-in-Review of Economic Failures and Lawlessness]]></description><link>https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-2025-a-year-of-economic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://brief.pk/p/pakistan-2025-a-year-of-economic</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[briefpk]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:47:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png" width="1536" height="1024" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:1024,&quot;width&quot;:1536,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:390665,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:&quot;https://brief.pk/i/183571953?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffbf75d40-c913-48b5-99e0-2f7e2ac5d24a_1536x1024.png&quot;,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!4Osv!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8b347031-157d-4e7e-a531-3ad0c6fc9bd7_1536x1024.png 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p><em>As 2025 draws to a close, Pakistan stands at a point where decades of institutional decay, economic mismanagement, and political dysfunction have converged into a crisis that can no longer be disguis&#8230;</em></p>
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