The Diplomat | Author
Mariyam Suleman Anees
Mariyam is a development specialist and a freelance writer from Gwadar. She tweets at @mariyamsuleman
Mariyam Suleman Anees is a development specialist, freelance writer, and researcher from Gwadar. She completed her masters in Gender and Development Studies at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex. Her main focus is Gwadar and the Balochistan region, and she writes on politics, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and gender and development issues. Her work has appeared in Dawn, Herald, and Global Editors’ Network Den. She is also a scholar of the British High Commission’s Chevening program.
Follow her on Twitter @mariyamsuleman.
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January 27, 2023
Iran-Pakistan Border Trade: Flourishing Against the Odds
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Much of the trade, especially of oil and LPG, is illicit but crucial for both the regional economy and the livelihood of families living along the border.
December 15, 2022
How Realistic Are China’s Plans to Expand CPEC to Afghanistan?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
The profits may be high, but the risks involved are higher, especially in the context of attacks on Chinese nationals and interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
November 18, 2022
Why Are Some Pakistanis up in Arms Against the Film ‘Joyland’?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
The critically acclaimed film depicts transgender people as normal – something unacceptable in Pakistani society, which has traditionally treated transgender people as outcasts.
November 15, 2022
Iran’s Mass Protests Are Impacting Lives in Pakistan
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Baloch in Pakistan are watching the crackdown on their sisters across the border with dismay.
October 31, 2022
Why China Could Tighten its Purse Strings on CPEC Projects
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Pakistan’s inability to pay off its existing debt to China, and the slowdown of the Chinese economy, could make Beijing cautious about lending more to Pakistan.
October 20, 2022
The Anatomy of Pakistan’s 2022 Floods
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Pakistan just experienced one of the most devastating floods in its history. Could the government have prevented some of the losses?
September 22, 2022
Will Canada’s Barrick Gold Corporation Boost Business at Gwadar Port?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
It could. But past experience underscores the importance of Pakistan and Barrick Gold being transparent on the terms of the deal they struck.
August 17, 2022
Why Do Floods Devastate Balochistan So Intensely?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Sixty percent of the houses destroyed across Pakistan in recent floods were in Balochistan. Poor infrastructure and extreme poverty increase vulnerability.
July 28, 2022
‘Honor Killings’ Continue Unabated in Pakistan
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
While most victims of crimes committed in the name of protecting family honor are women, men too fall prey to this horrific practice.
June 24, 2022
‘They Own the Ocean’: Gwadar’s Struggle With Illegal Fishing
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Illegal fishing off Balochistan’s coast continues despite years of legislation, public protests, and government promises, showing how difficult it can be to combat the “trawler mafia.”
May 21, 2022
Is Gwadar’s New Development Prepared to Handle Its Weather?
By Mariyam Suleman Anees
Gwadar often sees intense seasonal rains that can cause flooding. Recent CPEC-linked development in the rapidly growing city may be making that problem worse.
April 23, 2021
What’s Going on at the Iran-Pakistan Border?
By Mariyam Suleman
A crackdown on the thriving trade in smuggled Iranian oil could wreak havoc on local economies on both sides of the border.