By Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai A conversation this week with a European visitor prompted me to revisit one of the more intriguing territorial disputes of the twentieth century. He asked whether there were any useful parallels between the Åland Islands and Kashmir. The question lingered in my mind. While history never repeats itself exactly, it often provides illuminating comparisons, and the experience of the Åland ...

By Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai The United Nations Security Council's high-level debate on July 23, 2026, on "Strengthening the Mechanism for the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes" served as a timely reminder that diplomacy remains humanity's most effective instrument for preventing war. Convened as a follow-up to Security Council Resolution 2788 (2025), unanimously adopted during Pakistan's presidency of the Council ...

By Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai The United Nations marked Nelson Mandela Day at its headquarters in New York on 20 July 2026, although the international observance falls each year on 18 July—the date of Mandela's birth. Established by the United Nations in November 2009 and first observed in 2010, Mandela Day was created not merely to celebrate the life of one of history's greatest leaders, but to inspire action in ...

by Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai Once again, Pakistan finds itself debating a proposal that has surfaced repeatedly over the years—and every time it does, it raises the same fundamental question: why weaken our own position on Kashmir? A group of senior members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, led by Leader of the House Amjad Hussain, Leader of the Opposition Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman, Deputy Speaker Malik Kifayat-ur-Re ...

By Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai The lesson Professor Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi taught me that I remember most was not delivered in a classroom. It was during the mid-1980s when he was my teacher and academic adviser at Temple University in Philadelphia. At the same time, he was helping establish the Virginia-based International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), which announced scholarships for graduate studies. Profe ...

By Dr. Firoz Mahboob Kamal Intense bombing campaign against Iran has again started. A man with strategic understanding couldn't expect better than that. It must be understood that unless and until Iran gets an effective deterrent against the US and Israel, they have no option but to suffer the devastating consequences of indiscriminate US bombings. There is no way for Iran to escape that. Mere missiles ...

Americans of Azad Kashmir descent remain deeply concerned about the ongoing challenges in their homeland. A delegation representing the Kashmiri American diaspora from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersy and New York, held a ninety-minute-long meeting with Honorable Ahan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Policy and Planning and Special Initiatives, Government of Pakistan. Professor Ahsan Iqbal, who had previously parti ...

By Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai Chairman World Forum for Peace & Justice Every year the international community gathers to remember the victims of genocide. The ceremonies are solemn, the speeches heartfelt, and the promise familiar: "Never Again." On 9 July 2026, the United Nations commemorated the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. More than a remembrance of o ...