Zeeshan Ahmad

Journalist, storyteller, media scholar. Former magazine editor @etribune . All views are my own. RTs may or may not be endorsements.

[Zeeshan Ahmad @Zeeesh3]

Nolan's @odysseymovie argues civilisation broke the moment a gift became a weapon at Troy. In my latest for @etribune I trace that reading through the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, the siege of Gaza & the slow collapse of the rules-based order:
https://t.co/gKIFgP1tAA

[Zeeshan Ahmad @Zeeesh3]

Nolan's @odysseymovie argues civilisation broke the moment a gift became a weapon at Troy. In my latest for @etribune I trace that reading through the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, the siege of Gaza & the slow collapse of the rules-based order:
https://t.co/gKIFgP1tAA

[Vali Nasr @vali_nasr]

A must read thread on how the supply chain of disinformation to sabotage US Iran talks works: the origin and spread of IRGC Commander Vahidi’s fabricated quote on nuclear weapons

[Kamran Yousaf @Kamran_Yousaf]

My take on Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey Joint defence pact

The year was 2019, and Pakistan found itself trapped in one of the most delicate diplomatic balancing acts in its recent history. Two of its closest strategic partners Saudi Arabia and Turkiye had drifted onto opposite sides of an expanding geopolitical divide.

Islamabad ultimately withdrew from the Kuala Lumpur Summit after Riyadh viewed the gathering as an attempt to establish a parallel Islamic bloc outside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would later publicly reveal that Pakistan had pulled out under Saudi pressure, warning that refusal could have carried serious economic consequences.

Seven years later, the geopolitical landscape looks dramatically different.

https://t.co/u3vcqzWMfQ

[Murtaza Hussain @MazMHussain]

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed updated and expanded versions of a defense pact for years and now have seemingly added Turkey to the same framework. We have actually obtained and reviewed one of these recent updates and the most notable aspect is that the agreement itself is hedged to the point of oblivion. On top of that everything is done to not enforce it when a situation actually arrives since enforcing the most expansive version of its terms is politically indigestible.

At most I expect that this new agreement would be intended as a political signal in the wake of rising fears in the Gulf following serious attacks on Saudi infrastructure and the failure of U.S. defense guarantees. At best I imagine it would produce increased joint defense investment in the Turkish and Pakistani arms industries and perhaps the gradual alignment and interoperability of military systems. https://t.co/QWAqWlU3FQ

[Zarrar Khuhro @ZarrarKhuhro]

Problem with this 'letter' is that it has taken the view of a single MP as the view of the Iranian government. I understand the need for engagement but this is blatantly dishonest and 'sadly, somewhat typical of accounts like these

[Michael Kugelman @MichaelKugelman]

The Pak-KSA-Turkey agreement is a logical outgrowth of the deepening security ties of these 3 countries in recent months. W/its focus on collective regional deterrence w/an eye to Iran, it’ll be received well in Washington, which wants to see more burden-sharing from top allies.

[Kamran Yousaf @Kamran_Yousaf]

It's interesting to hear RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's take on Pakistan. Compared to Prime Minister Modi's rhetoric, he appears relatively more conciliatory.

Bhagwat says "permanent enmity" and "permanent hatred" towards Pakistan are not the answer. He also argues that not all Pakistanis hate India, just as not all Indians hate Pakistan.

According to him, India's objective is neither to conquer nor obliterate others. Instead, he says India should seek harmonious ties with Pakistan and that dialogue is essential to achieving that.

[Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar @mustafa_nawazk]

Senator Mushtaq was stopped at Kahuta Bazaar by Punjab Police yesterday while returning from AJK and forcibly taken into custody. His whereabouts remain unknown. This is a blatant violation of the law by a repressive regime where no citizen is safe from its authoritarian tactics.

[Ammar Ali Jan @ammaralijan]

Abduction of Senator Mushtaq is another criminal act of the current regime. His only crime is demonstrating meaningful solidarity for Kashmiris who face repression. Someone who risked his life for people in Gaza is now part of the ever-growing list of missing persons. Shameful!

[Mushahid Hussain Sayed @Mushahid]

Winds of Change are already apparent, elsewhere in South Asia, as recent events in India, Bangladesh, Nepal & Sri Lanka have demonstrated! Pakistan and Pakistanis cannot be immune to the Forces of Change!

[Zarrar Khuhro @ZarrarKhuhro]

Reports of extreme force being used against protestors in AJK are coming in from many sources now. The situation is at crisis point and needs handling with great care and not the typical and self destructive state response we have come to know. This is very close to spiralling

[Syed Talat Hussain @TalatHussain12]

The AJK situation is a top example of mishandling and mismanagement. The PPP-N fighting it out politically is a sad side show at best and at worst a stupid attempt to create temporary distraction from the real issue. Media and information blackout has compounded the crisis. Never thought we would witness such a sorry state of affairs. Terrible.

[Mushahid Hussain Sayed @Mushahid]

Monumental Blunders due to WRONG policy, WRONG approach, WRONG mindset! Losing Battle for ‘Hearts & Minds’ + Damaging Kashmir Cause!

[Assal Rad @AssalRad]

“Girl, 9”

[Jason Hickel @jasonhickel]

Lindsey Graham was an imperialist warmonger who supported every major US military intervention during his career. He did not care about humanity, or international law, or even US citizens. He served the interests of the US capitalist class and the US proxy regime of Israel.

[Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan]

"The Treatment of Iran’s World Cup Team Exposed the West's and FIFA's Double Standards"

Iran’s captain was asked about LGBT rights. So, why then wasn’t the U.S. team captain asked about the U.S. bombing of the girls' school in Minab, asks @fbhutto ?
https://t.co/68qnQgYoTI

[ᜰ @markklfc]

Thierry Henry on the VAR decision that denied Iran a last-minute winner against Egypt:

🗣️ “I genuinely feel sick for the Iranian players. They believed they had written one of the greatest moments in their country's football history, only for it to be ripped away in seconds. That's a pain no footballer should experience.”

“You cannot ask players to give everything for ninety minutes and then allow a decision like this to define their World Cup. If VAR is overturning goals of this magnitude, it has to be absolutely flawless. There is no room for doubt.”

“Look at the faces of the players, look at the supporters in the stands. Those weren't just tears over a goal—they were tears over a dream that disappeared in an instant. That's what makes this so heartbreaking.”

“This isn't just about Iran anymore. Every nation at this World Cup should be worried because if a moment like this can happen on football's biggest stage, it can happen to anyone. That's a frightening thought.”

“The officials will move on to the next game, but the Iranian players and their supporters will carry this moment for the rest of their lives. Some scars in football never truly heal.”

“If that decision was wrong, then football has failed Iran. A World Cup should be remembered for unforgettable goals and heroic performances not for a controversy that leaves millions wondering what might have been.”

[Sage @Sage_FCB]

🚨 Roy Keane Doesn't Hold Back After Iran's Controversial VAR Heartbreak:

🗣️ “I don't want to hear anyone telling me VAR is making football better after watching that. If that's the standard at a World Cup, we're in trouble.

The whole point of the technology is to stop obvious mistakes. Instead, it's become another way to create them. That goal should never have been taken away if the decision wasn't absolutely clear.

I feel for the Iranian players. They thought they'd produced one of the biggest moments in their country's football history, only for it to be wiped out by people sitting in a room watching television screens.

When you're making decisions that can send one team through and knock another out, you have to get them right. 'Almost right' isn't good enough. Not on this stage.

Football is about players deciding matches, not officials becoming the biggest talking point afterwards. Yet here we are again, discussing referees instead of the football.

Someone has to explain how that decision was reached because supporters deserve answers. If VAR can't provide fairness in moments like these, then it's failing at the one job it was brought into the game to do.”

[Jake Shields @jakeshieldsajj]

We don't hate Israel enough