KARACHI AT RISK TRANSPORT POLLUTION, K-IV PROJECT DELAYS, AND INTENSIFYING HEATWAVES
This report presents a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of Karachi's air quality trajectory over a twenty-two-year period (2004–2026), synthesising data from three major studies: the 2004 PCSIR baseline assessment, the 2020/2024 SEPA monitoring campaign, and the...
Pakistan’s Trade Recalibration and the Afghanistan Factor
Pakistan is steadily recalibrating its trade map by expanding connectivity with Central Asia and Iran while reducing reliance on Afghan transit routes. Although new corridors point to greater diversification and deeper regional integration, the shift also raises a...
Afghan Women at Crossroads of Conflict: Understanding Gendered Impact of Pakistan–Afghanistan Escalation
By Elsa Imdad Chandio The cross-border escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan since late February 2026 has unfolded in a context in which Afghan women already live under some of the most restrictive conditions in the world. In this sense, the airstrikes,...
PAKISTAN SEES 18% DROP IN VIOLENCE IN Q1 2026, AS SECURITY OPERATIONS GROW DEADLIER
CRSS Security Report – Q1 2026 During the first quarter of 2026, Pakistan recorded a nearly 18% quarter-on-quarter decline in violence related to terrorism and counter-terrorism, along with a mix of promising and concerning trends in the country’s security landscape....
Pakistan’s Strategic Shield Against Global Energy and Fertilizer Shocks
By Engineer Arshad H Abbasi and Engineer Musa Arshad Pakistan’s sugar industry holds an overlooked solution to rising energy and fertilizer shocks. By scaling ethanol blending and using press mud as organic fertilizer, the country can cut imports, boost resilience,...
Pak-Afghan Trade Must Sustain Regardless of Tensions: Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce
Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan must continue irrespective of challenges in other areas of bilateral relations, as sustained economic engagement can serve as a constructive lever to improve the overall relationship, said the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for...
Strategic Role of Ethanol Blending and Sugar Industry Byproducts in Addressing Pakistan’s Energy and Fertilizer Crisis
At a time of rising fuel import dependence and fertilizer supply uncertainty, this policy letter by engineers Arshad Abbasi and Musa Abbasi highlights how Pakistan’s sugar industry can play a transformative role in strengthening national energy and agricultural...
Iran Will Not Lose The War
By Sohaib Syed Around 3 weeks into the war with Iran, the United States seems to have settled on four primary objectives: (1) destroying Iran’s navy; (2) destroying Iran’s missile capabilities; (3) preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons; and (4) preventing...
Latest Publications
KARACHI AT RISK TRANSPORT POLLUTION, K-IV PROJECT DELAYS, AND INTENSIFYING HEATWAVES
This report presents a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of Karachi's air quality trajectory over a twenty-two-year period (2004–2026), synthesising data from three major studies: the 2004 PCSIR baseline assessment, the 2020/2024 SEPA monitoring campaign, and the...
Gwadar: A Decade of Unfulfilled Promises
By Imtiaz Gul and Shahana Naseer Introduction: Vision, Investment, and the Question of Credibility Gwadar occupies a strategically significant geographic position at the intersection of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and western China. Its deep-sea port...
IRAN -ISREAL CONFLICT GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR SOUTH ASIA
Executive Summary The 12-day Israel-Iran war sent shock waves across the globe. It not only enforced some strategic realignments but also further sharpened the existing geopolitical divisions between the two major camps: the US-led G-7 and the NATO alliance, versus...
CHINA IN AFGHANISTAN THE DRAGON RISES
Abstract This report tracks China's engagement with Afghanistan in recent years, both pre- and post-Taliban rule in August 2021. Guided by principles of non-interference and sovereignty, China's Afghan policy has adapted to address assertive geo-economic endeavours...
COMPLEX TERRORISM LANDSCAPE IN PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN REGION : AFGHAN EMIRATE AS COUNTER-TERROR PARTNER
This report examines the evolving militant landscape in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region following the Afghan Taliban’s (TTA) return to power in August 2021. Contrary to initial hopes that the Taliban’s governance might stabilize the region, the threats have instead...