Al Jazeera – Current Political News Updates Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India

Central & South Asia

Al-Qaeda South Asia arm claims Karachi attack

New branch of armed group says former Pakistan army officials helped in raid on naval yard that left one sailor dead.

Central & South Asia

Beyond al-Qaeda: 13 years after 9/11

India on high alert after al-Qaeda threats

Al-Qaeda leader announces India wing

UNICEF: Child marriages rampant in South Asia

New report reveals that 46 percent of girls in the region marry before 18, while 18 percent marry before 15.

Anger rife in Kashmir amid slow rescue

Thousands still stranded in India-administered Kashmir as government's rescue and relief efforts come under criticism.

Wasim Khalid

Afghanistan blames US for killing civilians

President Hamid Karzai's office says US air strike killed at least 11 civilians in eastern Kunar province.

'Fugitive' Pakistani leads flood relief

Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has been helping to rescue flood victims in his country.

Kashmir families lose everything in floods

Hundred shelter in relief centres set up by government after floods washed away homes, possessions, and livelihoods.

Faiz Jamil

Thousands still stranded in flood-hit Kashmir

At least 450 dead in divided Himalayan region and in parts of Pakistan as floodwaters start to recede in some areas.

More ...

features

Anger rife in Kashmir amid slow rescue

Thousands still stranded in India-administered Kashmir as government's rescue and relief efforts come under criticism.
In Pictures: Food crisis hits Nepal district

Remote Humla region suffers from severe food shortage leading to malnutrition as supply of food marred by corruption.
Afghanistan in the shadow of Ahmad Shah Massoud

The story of 9/11 is in reality the story of the legendary Afghan freedom fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud.
Justice eludes Indian rape victims

Many Muslim women have waited a year for attackers to be investigated after deadly religious riots in northern India.
In Pictures: Kashmir and Pakistan floods

Death toll still rising as Indian and Pakistani military continue efforts to rescue thousands of those stranded.
Children bear brunt of Afghan conflict

Aid workers fear long-term impact of violent trauma on young boys recruited as combatants by both sides in Afghanistan.
India's starving tea-garden workers

More than 100 workers have died of starvation since West Bengal's tea estates have begun shutting down.
In Pictures: Otter fishing in Bangladesh

Ancient Hindu community that uses otters to catch fish threatened by a sharp decline in stocks caused by pollution.
The new promise of India-Australia relations

Meeting between Abbott and Modi, rooted in geo-strategy and economics, will have wider impact on stability and balance.
The 'Afghan Spring' turns into an 'Autumn of Discontent'

Afghanistan is threatened by another behind-the-scenes division of power that will not provide long-term stability.
India's Badaun village gets toilets for women

Over 100 toilets are built months after alleged rape and death of two girls as they walked out to answer nature's call.
'Infoladies' bring change in rural Bangladesh

'Infoladies' on bicycles provide health, agricultural and IT services to remotest villages in Bangladesh.
Modi's 100 days: Biding his time, circling the wagons

Taken together, the Indian prime minister's first 100 days in office have seen both fair portents and dark omens.
Assam rues India's stand on World War II road

Assam officials upset that WWII-era Stillwell Road won't be used in transnational highway linking four Asian nations.
Afghan forces fail to halt Taliban resurgence

Taliban makes quick gains in Afghanistan with little opposition from Afghan army as US withdrawal begins.
Pakistan: Will instability topple democracy?

Even if PM Nawaz Sharif survives the current crisis, his government will be permanently weakened.
Rapes surge in Sri Lanka amid weak laws

Incidents of rape have increased 20 percent in last two years as current law fails to criminalise domestic sex attacks.
Kashmir gun makers struggle for survival

Government regulations and security fears are choking the once thriving industry in India-administered Kashmir.
Forced conversions torment Pakistan's Hindus

Hindus in Pakistan live in fear as girls from minority community forced to marry Muslim men amid official apathy.
IndoPak Express: Partners and peacemakers

Aisam-ul-Haq and Rohan Bopanna's tennis partnership has won many hearts across the nations and worldwide.
BRICS Bank: Can India contain Chinese moves?

With India in loop, critics question whether New Delhi is handing the reins of global finance to neighbouring China.
Q&A: Pakistan's Tahir ul-Qadri on protests

Canada-based leader - set to hold march calling for the government to resign - speaks to Al Jazeera on his "revolution".
In Pictures: Life of a Nepali drug addict

Ineffective governance and the availability of a cheap cocktail of pharmaceutical drugs contribute to a growing crisis.
India: 64 medals but short on promise

Contingent finished fifth in the Commonwealth Games but list of winners includes repeat performers.
India uranium mining fuels health crisis

Radioactive waste generated in three government owned mines spurs health fears in eastern Jharkhand state.
Worries pile up as waste grows in Pakistan

Pakistan generates about 20 million tonnes of solid waste annually, and its dumps have become a hub for child labour.
Pakistan's Ahmadiyya: An 'absence of justice'

After attacks that killed three in Gujranwala, minority Muslim sect feel persecution 'institutionalised' in Pakistan.
Anger brews in Kashmir over lake pilgrimage

Hindu pilgrimage to glacial lake in Muslim-majority India-administered Kashmir triggers concerns, fresh protests.
US Sikhs fight racism with PR campaign

Sikhs have begun a national dialogue about identity on second anniversary of the shooting at a Sikh temple.
Can India's Modi break the ice with Nepal?

Amid reservations, Narendra Modi's visit to Kathmandu aims to boost economic ties and rebuild trust between two nations.
Shia pilgrims flock to Pakistan's Sufi shrine

Up to a million Qalandriya Shia gather for an exhilarating festival against a backdrop of growing violence.
Missing medics test patience in rural India

Absenteeism among doctors at government hospitals is rife, prompting innovative efforts to ensure they turn up for work.
Legacy of riots overshadows Eid in Sri Lanka

Tensions persist in Aluthgama and other Sri Lanka towns hit by communal violence as the fasting month of Ramadan ends.
Mistrust galore as Afghans eye unity rule

Amid vote audit and horse-trading, politicians of all hues agree a compromise is needed to avoid political instability.
India's 'balancing act' on Gaza crisis

India's policy of equidistance between Israel and Palestine faces criticism amid mounting death toll in Gaza.
Sri Lanka migrants' voyage of desperation

Lack of employment opportunities in island nation forces many to flee illegally by boat in search for better life.
Nepal's journey from war to peace

A new book looks at Himalayan nation's decades of political change and difficult transition from monarchy to democracy.
Afghan children pay for violence

Violent attacks in Afghanistan cause a surge in child civilian casualties and impede access to medical care.
Pakistan kiln workers live like 'slaves'

Laws against forced labour not enforced in sector sustained by modern slavery and exploitation of poorest.
Endangered birds run out of luck in India

Indian bird sellers in Hyderabad trade in good fortune while activists lament cruel conditions.
Nepal's film industry looks beyond Bollywood

Post-conflict cinema is creating niche in the Himalayan nation where India's Hindi language films rule the box-office.
Tourists flock to Kashmir's 'ghost valley'

Once the scene of furious artillery shelling, Neelum Valley in Pakistan-administered Kashmir is enjoying peace dividend.
Library movement takes root in Bangladesh

Village Library Movement not only helps in inculcating reading habits but also encourages community work in rural areas.
Life for Kashmir's former fighters 'ruined'

Former Kashmiri fighters say they were deceived about amnesty's promise of a new life.
'Roof of the World' rebels against Pakistan

Protests over poor public services have escalated into challenges to Islamabad's rule in rugged northern territory.