The Milli Dialogues

In this episode, we examine how the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir triggered a parallel conflict beyond the battlefield — one fought through narratives, perception and digital influence. Drawing on a detailed ThinkFi analysis, the discussion unpacks how China and Pakistan amplified coordinated information campaigns around water treaties, fabricated documents, missile credibility...

In this episode, Europe-based human rights analyst Michael Arizanti (@ColdBrief) examines one of South Asia’s most enduring and uncomfortable contradictions: Pakistan’s persistent habit of blaming foreign adversaries for a crisis rooted at home. Using the February 6, 2026 suicide bombing at Islamabad’s Khadija-tul-Kubra mosque as a starting point, the discussion traces how decades of treating mili...

In this episode, we unpack the controversy surrounding women’s leadership in Islam, sparked by recent remarks from a female leader of Jamaat-e-Islami who cited Qur’an 4:34 (“Men are qawwamun over women”) as evidence of prohibition. We take a closer look at the verse’s textual meaning, historical context, and classical interpretations, revealing that it addresses household responsibility during mar...

In this episode, we revisit Operation Sindoor after the fog of war has lifted to understand how escalation was managed, how air power was leveraged, and why the conflict ended when it did. Moving beyond early narratives and headline claims, the discussion draws on emerging evidence, independent assessments, and delayed admissions to unpack what actually shaped the outcome. The podcast explores how...

As ISIS-K resurfaces across Afghanistan and Pakistan’s western frontier, a troubling pattern is emerging—one that places Chinese nationals, infrastructure projects, and regional stability squarely in the crosshairs. This episode examines the growing security risks facing Chinese investments in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and the uncomfortable geopolitical questions they raise for Beijing, Kabul, an...

As global financial watchdogs prepare for the 2026 FATF meetings in Mexico City, Pakistan once again presents itself as compliant with international counterterrorism financing standards. But does paperwork tell the whole story? In this episode of The Cipher Brief , we examine how terrorist financing networks linked to Pakistan are adapting—shifting from traditional banking to fintech platforms, di...

In this episode, we examine a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and global counter-extremism efforts. On January 13, 2026, under the leadership of Donald Trump, the United States moved decisively to designate key branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations—ending decades of strategic ambiguity around the group’s political and ideological role. We break down the announcement de...

The protests that erupted in Hounslow this January were not just about one horrific crime—they were the breaking point of a fear many Sikhs say they have carried for decades. At the centre of the case is a 15-year-old Sikh girl, allegedly abducted and gang-raped after being groomed by older men who first gained her trust. For Sikh families, the outrage was driven not only by brutality, but by reco...

Can foreign lawmakers pressure an independent judiciary without crossing a democratic red line? In this episode of The Milli Dialogues , we examine the controversy sparked by U.S. lawmakers and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani intervening in the ongoing Indian trial of Umar Khalid under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). From a formal letter sent by members of the U.S. Congress to a publi...