Sindh – The Sindh Door of the Silk Route (Sindoor)

Prof. Simranjit Singh is a Jadetimes Editor in Chief

---

Image Source: studentsofhistory

In a world racing toward the future, it is crucial to remember the roads that brought us here. One such road — more symbolic than literal — winds through the ancient province of Sindh, Pakistan. Often overlooked in contemporary geopolitical discourse, Sindh was once a thriving nexus of trade, culture, and diplomacy. Today, as the echoes of the Silk Route once again captivate global consciousness through new infrastructure projects and heritage discussions, Sindh stands as a living testament to the past and a strategic key to the future.

The Silk Route, contrary to the common perception of being a single road, was a vast network of interconnected trade routes spanning Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. And at the southern edge of this web was Sindh — not just a passage, but a destination. Ports like Debal and Thatta thrived as centers of commerce and cultural exchange. Merchants, mystics, and monarchs alike passed through this “door,” carrying silks, spices, philosophies, and religions.

What made Sindh indispensable was not only its geographic location but its ability to absorb and enrich the cultures it connected with. It welcomed Sufism from Persia, Buddhism from Central Asia, and Hinduism from the Subcontinent. Its artisans spun cotton that clothed royalty across continents. Its ports were bustling long before colonial powers even began charting their maps. To walk through Sindh is to walk through layers of world history.

Today, as China’s Belt and Road Initiative and other regional trade collaborations take shape, there is a fresh urgency to revisit Sindh’s role. With the development of Gwadar and renewed interest in cross-border logistics and energy routes, Sindh could once again become a pivotal connector — not just of goods, but of cultures and ideas. However, this can only happen if we protect its heritage while integrating its infrastructure.

We at JadeTimes believe the time is ripe for a renaissance — one that doesn’t just reconstruct the Silk Route with highways and ports, but with dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect. Let Sindh not remain a forgotten chapter in a dusty book. Let it be a door that reopens to a new era of prosperity and peace.

As custodians of the past and architects of the future, it is our duty to ensure that Sindh’s voice is not lost in translation. The door is open. The world must walk through.

Security Law

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Asia

---

Image Source: Alia Chughtai

In Hong Kong, patriotism has taken on a new and controversial form. A growing number of citizens, led by self-proclaimed "patriots" like 60-year-old former banker Innes Tang, are actively reporting fellow residents to authorities for suspected breaches of the National Security Law (NSL).

Tang, who operates a public hotline and mobilizes social media followers to surveil their communities, has already reported dozens of individuals and organizations to the police. “We’re in every corner of society, watching, to see if there is anything suspicious which could infringe on the national security law,” Tang told the BBC.

Since its enactment in 2020 following mass pro-democracy protests, the NSL has reshaped daily life in Hong Kong, criminalizing acts considered “secession,” “subversion,” or collusion with foreign forces. A newer security law, Article 23, further expands the government’s power.

Authorities say the surveillance system has proved effective. Between November 2020 and February 2025, Hong Kong’s official security hotline received over 890,000 tips. Tang and his volunteers claim to have been responsible for nearly 100 reports, several of which have resulted in investigations or jail sentences.

But critics warn of a deepening culture of fear and censorship. University lecturer and pro-democracy advocate Kenneth Chan, once active in the protest movement, says the system has led to self-censorship and isolation. “Some friends and students now avoid me,” he admitted, “but I can’t blame them it’s the system.”

The city's Legislative Council, now limited to officials who pledge loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, no longer includes pro-democracy representatives. Electoral reforms passed in 2021 made it nearly impossible for dissenting voices to gain political footholds.

While Tang says his early support for China was shaped by a rejection of colonial inequality, even he now acknowledges the risks of politicizing the law. “I don’t want to see every policy passing with 90% of the vote,” he says. “There is a danger the National Security Law will be weaponized.”

Despite growing international criticism, Hong Kong’s government maintains that the system has removed "extremists" who sought to "paralyse" governance and asserts that academic freedom and public safety are still priorities.

For now, Tang says he has ceased reporting individuals. “Balance and stability,” he believes, “have returned.” But for many in the city, including scholars like Chan, the cost of that stability has been profound: “We are no longer a city of protests. So what are we? I don’t have the answer yet.”

UK to Sanction Russian 'Shadow Fleet' of Oil Tankers in Crackdown on Sanctions Evasion

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Business

---

Image Source: Havariekommando

The UK government is preparing to impose new sanctions on a fleet of Russian oil tankers allegedly used to bypass existing international restrictions on Russian energy exports. The action targets up to 100 vessels believed to have transported more than £18 billion worth of oil and gas since the beginning of 2024.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce the measures at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in Oslo, Norway a coalition of ten northern European countries including Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands. The UK has pledged to take decisive steps to dismantle what it describes as President Vladimir Putin's "shadow fleet operation," which it accuses of financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

"Every step we take that increases pressure on Moscow and supports peace in Ukraine is also a step toward greater security and prosperity for the UK," Starmer said ahead of the summit.

The so-called “shadow fleet” was assembled by Moscow following sweeping sanctions imposed after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These measures limited Russian oil imports and enforced price caps on its crude exports. In response, Russia turned to obscure shipping arrangements, utilizing vessels with murky ownership structures and opaque navigation routes to continue exporting oil undetected.

Downing Street has described the sanctioned ships as "decrepit and dangerous," citing their involvement in “reckless seafaring” and possible links to damage sustained by an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea.

The new UK sanctions will ban these vessels from entering British ports and expose them to detention within UK waters. The move builds on previous sanctions targeting 133 similar vessels during a JEF summit in December 2024.

The government says the expanded measures are aimed at severing a critical financial lifeline for the Kremlin. “We are determined to starve Putin’s war machine of oil revenues and protect vital subsea infrastructure,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Further announcements from JEF member states are expected to reinforce support for Ukraine's military efforts and collective European security.