The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) today launches its South Asia Studies Project (SASP).

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) today launches its South Asia Studies Project (SASP). This project tracks emerging developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan on a day-to-day basis.[1]

Given the transnational activities of the Pakistan-based jihadist organizations, the MEMRI SASP covers greater South Asia – including Bangladesh's struggle against Islamic extremism, the activities of Pakistan-backed terrorist groups in Jammu & Kashmir, and the role of Pakistani jihadists in mainland India. It also tracks developments in the Maldives, where Islamic militant groups have recently become active.

With its teams based in Kabul (Afghanistan), Peshawar and Islamabad (Pakistan), and New Delhi (India), and its editorial and publishing staff members based in Washington, DC, the MEMRI SASP translates and analyzes primary source content from Dari-, Pashtu-, Urdu-, and Hindi-language websites, magazines, newspapers, television channels, and blogs.

The MEMRI SASP seeks to inform Western governments, legislatures, academia, and the media, as well as the public at large.

As part of its series of research and publications, now released daily on http://www.memri.org/sasp as well as via Twitter, Facebook, and other social networking sites, the MEMRI South Asia Studies Project publishes the following:

a) Urdu-Pashtu Media Blog – a website of breaking news, updated multiple times each day.

b) Special Dispatch Series – offering translations of articles from the region's media.

c) Inquiry & Analysis Series – providing analysis of major events and developments in the region.

The MEMRI SASP is headed by Tufail Ahmad. Prior to joining MEMRI, Mr. Ahmad worked for the BBC Urdu Service in London, where he was primarily responsible for the coverage of Pakistan.

Visit the South Asia Studies Project daily at http://www.memri.org/sasp


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