COVID-19 in South Asia
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The Impact of COVID-19 Border Closures on Cross-Border Pashtun Communities
The Afghanistan-Pakistan borderlands have long been the subject of controversy. Disagreements over the validity of the Durand Line bifurcating both countries have been a central thorn in bilateral relations. The Durand Line was drawn in 1893 based on an agreement…
COVID-19 in Nepal: Low Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
With over 1.5 million cases globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in countries with the strongest existing healthcare systems, while countries with weaker economies and healthcare infrastructure face an especially steep challenge as the virus spreads. Nepal is one…
Geopolitics in the Age of COVID-19: The View from South Asia
Even as South Asia deals with the public health consequences of COVID-19, it is becoming clear that this global pandemic is likely to have lasting economic and geopolitical ramifications too. With China’s economy likely to be impacted due to COVID-19,…
Sri Lanka’s Fight Against COVID-19
Sri Lanka acted reasonably early in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and has thus far been somewhat successful in containing a potential outbreak within the country. As of April 6, Sri Lanka has 135 active cases (178 total cases) and…
COVID-19 in Balochistan and Underlying Sectarian Tensions
In the Pakistan-Iran border town of Taftan in Balochistan province, thousands of pilgrims have been quarantined to prevent the continued spread of COVID-19 into Pakistan. Many are confined to what is known as “Pakistan House” —constructed as a symbol of…
The COVID-19 Outbreak: How has Bangladesh Fared?
While the world grapples with the containment of the COVID-19 outbreak, Bangladesh has been caught napping as the country struggles to track and test for the disease despite having a three-month head start since the outbreak began in China. The…