EP-241 | 'Religious Cleansing' in Bangladesh & Pak Political Crisis | Sushant Sareen, Tilak Devasher

This special podcast discusses two pressing issues involving India’s neighbours, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Since Sheikh Hasina's ouster, over 2,000 attacks on Hindus have been reported in Bangladesh. Is this part of a 'religious cleansing' against Hindus? Is Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s regime aligning with Islamist forces? Could India face a surge of migrants in the coming months?

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s political chaos shows no signs of slowing down. PTI supporters, led by Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, marched towards Islamabad, resulting in dozens of deaths and many injuries. What lies ahead for Imran Khan? Will he ever be released from jail?

To answer all these questions, the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash is joined by two experts Tilak Devasher, an author of three acclaimed books on Pakistan and a National Security Advisory Board member. Sushant Sareen, a senior fellow at ORF and a leading analyst on Pakistani affairs.

The podcast also explores how the political and social turmoil in Bangladesh and Pakistan could impact India.

00:00 - Coming Up

00:00 - Introduction

04:25 - Recognition of Bangladesh & Pakistan

06:43 - Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh

13:36 - Muhammad Yunus and Jamaat

15:38 - Bangladesh Becoming a 'Taliban State'?

20:06 - Will Bangladesh Army Stop Violence Against Hindus?

23:31 - Role of the Deep State in Pakistan & Bangladesh

29:11 - Social Media and Political Mobilization

30:16 - Why Pakistanis Are Using VPNs

34:46 - Pro-Imran Khan Protests

42:10 - Who Is Bushra Bibi?

48:50 - How Crowd Control Works

56:18 - Why Did Imran Khan Marry Bushra Bibi?

1:02:31 - Pakistan Army vs. Imran Khan

1:09:20 - Pakistan Army Losing Its Hold on the Country?

1:13:30 - Saudi Arabia’s Connection to Imran Khan

1:16:18 - What Happens If Imran Khan Comes Out of Jail?

1:19:23 - Why Is Imran Khan Still Popular in Pakistan?

1:25:12 - What’s Next for Imran Khan?

1:28:27 - "Pakistan Is Running Dry"

1:31:30 - The Situation of Hindus in Bangladesh

1:36:30 - India’s Response to Bangladesh

1:41:30 - Pakistan’s Existential Crisis