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...
Are Kabul and Kandahar at Odds Over the TTP?
By Imtiaz Gul Kabul and Kandahar do not appear to be fully aligned on the issue of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). What initially seemed to be Kandahar’s position that the matter did not concern them has since shifted. There are now indications that the Taliban...
Significance of Tribal Jirgas in Pakistan–Afghanistan Security Dialogue
Since the resurgence of Taliban-linked militancy in Pakistan after 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and parts of Balochistan, the country’s counter-terrorism landscape has entered a familiar but more complex phase. Districts in the former Federally...
Organizational Structures and Security Implications of TTP and IS-K in Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has re-emerged as a central security concern due to a sustained increase in terrorist activity across Pakistan. A key aspect of TTP’s operational resilience lies in its structured reorganization process, which reportedly takes place...
Balochistan Violence: Reality Lost To Inconsistency
By Mohammad Nafees Balochistan continues to reel from violence. It also suffers not only because of a crisis of governance but of credibility. And that is rooted in the maze of conflicting claims and inconsistent figures The coordinated attacks across Balochistan that...
Balochistan’s Educated Militants, Push and Pull Factors
Decades of marginalization, unfulfilled rights, and exclusion from political and economic opportunity have made armed struggle an appealing, if tragic, path for the Baloch generation seeking justice and recognition. A spate of coordinated attacks by the Balochistan...
Inclusive Dialogue, Not Punitive Measures, Needed to Stabilize the Pakistan-Afghanistan Region
Coordinated and uniform action and a comprehensive policy framework, along with the inclusion of local stakeholders and Track 2 actors, are required to restore the deteriorated Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship, regulate cross-border trade, protect civilians, and...
Pakistan–Afghanistan Trade Disruptions: At What Cost to Livelihoods and Regional Stability?
Date: 16, Jan ,2026 By freezing cross-border trade while managing a refugee influx, Pakistan and Afghanistan have created a perfect storm of economic pressure and humanitarian quandaries. This piece explores how short-term political choices are inflicting long-term...
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...