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...
One Price, Unequal Burden: Rethinking Fuel Pricing in Pakistan
Engineer Arshad H Abbasi Why should a labourer on a motorbike pay the same fuel price as the owner of a Toyota Land Cruiser 300? This piece exposes the hidden injustice in Pakistan’s fuel pricing system and makes the case for technology-led reform that protects 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...
Latest Publications
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...
BEYOND BOUNDARIES VI 5TH PAK-AFGHAN RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS DIALOGUE
Introduction The 5th Pak-Afghan Religious Stakeholders Dialogue, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), brought together 25 participants, including religious scholars, academicians, and political analysts from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The...