
Journalist | former NED Fellow | Editor South Asian Affairs NewWaveGlobal/TFT. Opinions personal. Reposts not endorsements #Democracy #HumanRights #Feminism
Washington, DC
Joined April 2009
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Despite ongoing protest of human rights defenders and politicians from aggrieved provinces, #EnforcedDisappearances have increased in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and even in Pak administered Kashmir. This #thread will compile the cases. End impunity.
#IsraelElection
As of 7:34 am Israel time on Oct 28, with around 48% of the votes counted, the picture emerges like this:
Eisenkot bloc 50
Netanyahu bloc 55
Arab parties 15
Marvi Sirmed retweeted
Excl: In a first since 2023, Delhi invites Pakistan Minister for inaugural SCO Civilisational Dialogue in November
PM Modi to inaugurate event with representatives of more than 25 countries, to be held at the 16th Century Purana Quila fort in Delhi. Reporting with @sreeparna_c
India will hold the first “Civilisational Dialogue Forum” of the 10-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) grouping, that includes Pakistan, from November 20-22 in Delhi, sources confirmed to The Hindu.
✍️@suhasinih , @sreeparna_c
thehindu.com/news/national/i…
Don't forget Hungary’s Orbán, whom voters ousted in April—and Serbia’s Vučić, who lost to the student movement’s leader just this week.
NOT a good week so far for political strongmen.
• Flávio Bolsonaro flees to the US after Brazil’s election defeat and is seeking refuge in the country .
• Benjamin Netanyahu is not out yet but he is down with exit polls pointing to no clear winner in Israel, leaving coalition arithmetic wide open.
• And the latest US midterm forecasts suggest Donald Trump could face a difficult ride next week.
Net net: Strongmen thrive on the illusion of invincibility. The ballot box has a way of puncturing it.🙏
Or, Israelis are smarter than that and did not settle for just changing the faces at the helm, who'd do exactly the same things! Better to go for the devil you know than the one who set up shop just last year 😊
Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot says millions of Israelis voted for change, tired of Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘lies’. In his first public comment after polls closed, Eisenkot warned rival Netanyahu not to use Israel’s security to ‘serve his political interests’.
Israel’s Eisenkot says country voted for change
More on Aljazeera.com
#IsraelElections
Eisenkot bloc 47
Netanyahu bloc 57
Arab parties 16 (unprecedented)
It seems Arab parties would have greater sway over who makes the govt.
But no! Don't get deceived by these numbers. None of the bigger blocs wants Arabs with them. If Eisenkot accepts Arabs to form the govt, he would lose Naftali Bennet and Lieberman (both of whom are shamelessly racists).
So nah. I don't see the future for Arab parties in israel any more brighter than the residents of the occupied West Bank & Gaza.
Eisenkot bloc plunges to 46 with Netanyahu at 59; Arab parties at 15.
These are no longer exit poll projections; these numbers are the actual votes counted (only 31% of total votes have been counted as of now).
Source: Central Elections Committee’s aresukts Portal
And the Eisenkot bloc’s numbers slipped to 49, with Netanyahu at 52.
*Things to remember:*
- These are exit polls, the actual vote count is still underway.
- To make the govt, a bloc/alliance has to win 61 seats.
- If a party gets <3.25% of the total national votes, it gets disqualified from Knesset for that electoral mandate.
Major upset in Israeli elections: Updated exit poll gives Netanyahu bloc lead over Eisenkot.
Channel 12 projections 👇🏾
haaretz.com/israel-news/elec…
It seems Eisenkot might get 7 seats won by the United Arab List (as projected by Exit Polls). UAL says it can join Eisenkot bloc to form the govt. But Eisenkot already rejected the idea of joining hands with any arab party, days before the elections.
haaretz.com/israel-news/elec…
Exit Poll projections by different Israeli news outlets:
Channel 14 (fiercely pro-Netanyahu): Eisenkot Bloc 43; Netanyahu Bloc 60
Channel 11 (state-funded/tries to be neutral): E 52; N 50
Channel 12 (centrist, liberal leaning): E 52; N 50
Channel 13 (center-left; focused on govt corruption/ accountability): E 52; N 50
Channel 24 (poo culture; Jewish heritage; apolitical): E 49; N 55
Marvi Sirmed retweeted
Pakistan's Foothold in Maldives? Muizzu's India Out to China, Turkey & Pakistan Strategy Explained
📽️ youtu.be/sCQTpofELk0
#Maldives #Pakistan #India #Geopolitics
Gadi Eisenkot hails the exit polls as “victory for Israel”. Netanyahu celebrates the victory.
When there is no outright winner, and the incumbent is a narcissistic sociopath, a Jan. 6-like situation is not out of the bounds.
Netanyahu is trailing in exit polls. In the 2022 elections, exit polls projected his party to secure 30-31 seats. He ended up winning 32. Let's see how correct exit polls prove to be this time. Eisenkot, anyway, is not a particularly good news for Palestinians.
Highest voter turnout in Israel since 1977. Netanyahu faces tough test
aje.news/bd2ca9
This is what Iran has been saying throughout this war and even before. Saudi Arab agreed on it is the real news. Will it stop relying on the “outside forces” for its security now or not, is the real question.
Marvi Sirmed retweeted
My heartfelt thanks to the Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) for this powerful statement of solidarity with me, Amber Rahim Shamsi and women journalists facing online abuse and gendered attacks.
Your principled stand means a great deal. But solidarity must translate into accountability. Journalists, editors and media organisations must hold accountable those who enable, amplify or legitimise online harassment, not just anonymous trolls, but colleagues and influential voices within our own profession.
Thank you for insisting that women journalists deserve dignity, safety and the freedom to work without intimidation.
I appreciate the part of statement which says:
“We are not naming individual journalists responsible in this statement. In our next statement, we will name names and present evidence of their conduct. If we condemn abusers, we must also hold our fellow journalists and our professional community accountable when their actions enable, amplify, or encourage harassment. Our responsibility cannot end with calling out anonymous trolls.”
#AttackswontSilenceUs
#JournalismIsNotACrime
@RSF_inter @RSF_en @CPJAsia @IFJGlobal @ifjasiapacific @AmberRShamsi @DigitalRightsPK
The Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights stands in solidarity with Asma Shirazi, Amber Rahim Shamsi, and all women journalists facing online abuse and gendered attacks.
Read the complete statement here: digitalrightsfoundation.pk/n…
@asmashirazi | @AmberRShamsi
Marvi Sirmed retweeted
Trump Defends Vivek Ramaswamy Over Controversial Attack Ad Against Amy Acton’s Family
📽️ youtu.be/sCQTpofELk0
#VivekRamaswamy #AmyActon #DonaldTrump #Election2026
Marvi Sirmed retweeted
Türkiye's $10B Defense Hub: Pakistan, Qatar, Indonesia In New Military Deal | Türkiye-Pakistan Alliance Explained
📽️ youtu.be/sCQTpofELk0
#TurkiyePakistan #DefenseDeal #PakistanTurkiyeAlliance #Geopolitics












