Current Projects

Sabawoon Showcase: July 11, 2017

Regional Review on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) The latest episode of Da Simay Jaaj (regional review) discussed several public issues, such as health, education, life security, narcotics addiction etc. The first report highlighted the rising ratio of unsafe bathing and swimming in rivers. Assistant Commissioner, Charsadda, Mr. Inayat ullah Khan, spoke as a telephonic guest and strongly emphasized that parents of teenage boys should control their children from this dangerous and unsafe activity. He informed the listeners that there were several life guards and boats in the river side touristic point (Sardaryab) in District Charsadda, and every one can avail its services in case of emergency. In the second report, the role of different departments in cases of emergency was discussed. In district Kohat, during an accidental fire in a market there was a 4 hour delay in controlling the fire, although there were three different departments in Kohat for the same purpose. Two reports dealt with health related issues, spread of a new drug in Shabqadar district Charsadda, and the efforts of police and local people to eradicate it. A seminar was held in Peshawar regarding HIV /Aids awareness. The fifth and last report was related to initiation of traffic warden system in Swat to overcome the traffic issues. There were 7 calls during the show in which 4 calls were aired live. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday,...

Sabawoon Showcase: July 11, 2017

Regional Review on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) The latest episode of Da Simay Jaaj (regional review) discussed several public issues, such as health, education, life security, narcotics addiction etc. The first report highlighted the rising ratio of unsafe bathing and swimming in rivers. Assistant Commissioner, Charsadda, Mr. Inayat ullah Khan, spoke as a telephonic guest and strongly emphasized that parents of teenage boys should control their children from this dangerous and unsafe activity. He informed the listeners that there were several life guards and boats in the river side touristic point (Sardaryab) in District Charsadda, and every one can avail its services in case of emergency. In the second report, the role of different departments in cases of emergency was discussed. In district Kohat, during an accidental fire in a market there was a 4 hour delay in controlling the fire, although there were three different departments in Kohat for the same purpose. Two reports dealt with health related issues, spread of a new drug in Shabqadar district Charsadda, and the efforts of police and local people to eradicate it. A seminar was held in Peshawar regarding HIV /Aids awareness. The fifth and last report was related to initiation of traffic warden system in Swat to overcome the traffic issues. There were 7 calls during the show in which 4 calls were aired live. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday,...

Sabawoon Showcase: July 10, 2017

Analysis of public and private sector schools SSC result. The latest episode of Jarga Maraka (debate and council) shed light on the current secondary schools certificate result, of all eight examination boards in KP. Last week all eight examination boards of KP announced SSC result, in which the public sector schools showed poor results compared to the private. The following needs to be explored in order to find out the reasons behind this discrepancy: how to strengthen the public sector, the issues faced by the public sector and the means private sector employs to get top positions in boards. A spokesman of KP education department Mr. Najeh ullah Khattak and Mr. Shahid Wali, President of Private Schools Association were studio guests in the show. Mr Khattak claimed that there are dozens of public sector students in top 20 positions in more than five examination boards. He rejected the media report of poor results of public sector schools. Mr. Wali, on the other hand objected on the laws and regulation authority regarding private schools. A radio report was made part of the program in which public demanded accountability of both public and private sector schools. During the show 12 calls were received and seven of them were aired live. The callers expressed their views and complaints against private schools use of illegal means, in examination. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Simay Jaaj gives an overview of the top stories from KP and FATA...

Q2 Security Report – 2017

Executive Summary: The overall security situation in the country improved considerably during this quarter as the number of fatalities dropped. However, security challenges remain multi-dimensional both domestically and along Pakistan’s borders. Violence along the border areas increased significantly and the militancy inside the country assumed a new dimension as they shifted their respective areas of operations and attacks. Most regions, such as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan and Punjab saw a reduction in the number of fatalities (compared to the same quarter last year), while Sindh saw a small rise in violence-related casualties. Overall, Q2, 2017 (494) also saw a significant drop in violence-related fatalities over Q1, 2017 (594). However, within the overall reduction, the number of criminal and militant fatalities declined, whereas the number of security and government official and civilian fatalities increased. This is also indicative of the observed change in the terrorists’ overall strategy, as they shift their focus from soft targets to government and security officials and installations – very obvious from the overwhelming number of attacks on the state security apparatus. To assess and evaluate what new challenges and threats are being faced by the country, this report draws on national print and electronic media sources. At the same time CRSS endeavors to ensure that the data is as accurate as possible within the available resources. However, it does not rule out errors and omissions, which are always a possibility in such public-source statistical work. Such mistakes, nevertheless, do not grossly affect the overall outcome and conclusions of this report. It must also be said that this work cannot take into account incidents of violence-related fatalities and casualties that go unreported. Readers can approach CRSS for information related to this report. Alternately, you may send your queries to...

Why not Just Say no to CSF?

The US decision to withhold $50 million remaining in military reimbursements to Pakistan for fiscal year 2016 for not doing "enough to blunt the Islamist militant Haqqani network," should not surprise any body. It conveys a plain fact; neither the on going nearly daily losses of the army and the police nor the counter-terrorism drive that has seen marked reduction in violence nor the battering the Pakistani economy has taken since the onset of the counter-terror war have convinced the US establishment of the intent. Nor does the June 2014 Operation Zarbe Azb, very much aligned with a longstanding US demand for action in North Waziristan, seem to have impacted Washington’s narrative on Pakistan. The do-more-mantra has continued relentlessly and now narrowed down on the Haqqani Network and thus the latest decision to withhold the $50 million funds from 2016. It’s about time to act like a self-respecting and confident nation which is ready to correct its own course as well as being poised to address others’ concerns on issues such as terrorism, regional peace and cooperation Based on the incessant and at times acrimonious pressure and disagreements on Afghanistan and India - and the alignment of these three countries’ position on Pakistan - one would tend to conclude that the partnership that began with the Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001, eventually covered under the US Coalition Support Funds program has nearly run its course. Neither did major non-NATO ally status for Pakistan help change the primary US narrative on Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism. While the US security establishment sticks to its old narrative, new factors also appear to have come into play that are making this narrative politically superfluous. It has outlived its utility for various reasons. Firstly, the new regional realignment that separates the geopolitical Indo-Afghan-US alliance from that the one comprising China, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey and to a certain extent Iran. Both...

Panama Leaks Lesson: Judiciary Is the Bulwark Against Elites

The circumstances surrounding and events accompanying the Panama Papers remind me of two meetings I had with former premier Benazir Bhutto in March/April 1999 shortly before Ms Bhutto flew out into exile. One meeting took place in the presence of Barrister Masood Kausar and Rao Iqbal Sikandar. The other in the presence of a couple of journalists, including Talat Hussein and Ayaz Gul. Farhatullah Babar, the unflinching PPP support, may or may not remember but he was also present on both occasions. Only hours before that conversation, Bhutto had spoken to the press at the Marriott Hotel, where she vented her frustration with the Ehtesab Bureau Court (headed by a former Sharif henchman Saifur Rehman). As she was explaining the highhandedness of the government, I asked her a question related to the Surrey Rockwood Estate that Asif Ali Zardari had bought a few months earlier. Instead of responding on the spot, she asked me to meet her at the Zardari House in F-8/2 later that evening. Just for five minutes, she said, waving to Babar sahib. When I eventually met her in the presence of Barrister Kausar and Rao Sikandar that afternoon, we ended up interacting for nearly an hour. No admission of the Surrey estate though. “It’s all bullshit.” She also defended the news about millions of dollars in her foreign currency accounts. The law permits that, she said referring to the FOREX laws enacted by Nawaz Sharif. But is that fair for a public representative not to declare the source of income, I quipped. I am not supposed to declare those things... I have earnings from my lectures. May be that is a bad law. But did you ever attempt to amend a bad law, which has become a conduit for money laundering? No, may be we should have done it, she said. And then the climax when I turned the conversation again on the Surrey Mansion (which Zardari eventually claimed as his property shortly before the UK authorities were to put it to auction in 2004). Left with no plausible answer on the...

Panama Leaks Lesson: Judiciary Is the Bulwark Against Elites

The circumstances surrounding and events accompanying the Panama Papers remind me of two meetings I had with former premier Benazir Bhutto in March/April 1999 shortly before Ms Bhutto flew out into exile. One meeting took place in the presence of Barrister Masood Kausar and Rao Iqbal Sikandar. The other in the presence of a couple of journalists, including Talat Hussein and Ayaz Gul. Farhatullah Babar, the unflinching PPP support, may or may not remember but he was also present on both occasions. Only hours before that conversation, Bhutto had spoken to the press at the Marriott Hotel, where she vented her frustration with the Ehtesab Bureau Court (headed by a former Sharif henchman Saifur Rehman). As she was explaining the highhandedness of the government, I asked her a question related to the Surrey Rockwood Estate that Asif Ali Zardari had bought a few months earlier. Instead of responding on the spot, she asked me to meet her at the Zardari House in F-8/2 later that evening. Just for five minutes, she said, waving to Babar sahib. When I eventually met her in the presence of Barrister Kausar and Rao Sikandar that afternoon, we ended up interacting for nearly an hour. No admission of the Surrey estate though. “It’s all bullshit.” She also defended the news about millions of dollars in her foreign currency accounts. The law permits that, she said referring to the FOREX laws enacted by Nawaz Sharif. But is that fair for a public representative not to declare the source of income, I quipped. I am not supposed to declare those things... I have earnings from my lectures. May be that is a bad law. But did you ever attempt to amend a bad law, which has become a conduit for money laundering? No, may be we should have done it, she said. And then the climax when I turned the conversation again on the Surrey Mansion (which Zardari eventually claimed as his property shortly before the UK authorities were to put it to auction in 2004). Left with no plausible answer on the...

Sabawoon Showcase: July 6, 2017

Career Counseling for Students The latest episode of Ranra (light) focused on the importance of career counseling of Secondary School certificate (SSC) students, regarding which subjects they must opt for their better future. The SSC results of 2017 showed the poor performance of government schools mainly because illiterate parents don’t know about career counseling and how it helps students to choose subjects according to their interest and potential. Limited access of students to quality education and lack of facilities in government schools are the main reasons behind this dilemma. Moreover, the program highlighted the role of government and how they should reshape education policies and design them according to the existing needs and requirements. Dr. Raza Ullah, Educationist and Assistant Professor at Islamia College University, Peshawar, took part as studio guest in the show. Mr. Raza Ullah said: “Whatever you do, do with a commitment and there is no shame to opt for Art subjects. We should be committed to education and our profession as only through this we can become productive citizens of the society”. A radio report was made part of the radio program. The report highlighted the issues of the students after completing SSC exams and how they have no access to career counseling in their schools. Three listeners took part in the program through text messages. They shared their marks and asked the program guest to help them in selecting their career. About Sabawoon: Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and important regional issues with an input from...

Sabawoon Showcase: July 5, 2017

Role of Welfare Organizations in our Society The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (alive spirits) focused on the role of welfare organization and its positive impact on the society. Social work for the betterment of society, eradication of poverty, Darmange welfare organization and its services, trying to get rid of load shedding by sensitizing public to pay the electricity bills. Furthermore, old traditions should be practiced on death and other occasions. Moreover, the program shed light on Darmange welfare organization that it also tries to patch up between two families in order to end their enmity. Shams-Ul-Bari, District Member and Head of Darmange Welfare and Development Organization and Roshan Khan, President of Darmange Welfare and Development Organization, took part as the studio guests in the show. Mr. Shams said: “My message is to live in peace and educate your children. Fights and conflicts is not the solution to the problems. We should live in brotherhood as life is very short.” Mr. Khan: “I suggest that the youngsters must introduce such welfare organizations in other villages as well. It would not only decrease problems to a great extend but would solve them.” A radio report was made part of the program. The report highlighted the activities and services of “Thinkers Association” which is founded by the youngsters of Bajur Agency and their prime focus is to educate children. Three callers took part in the program. The callers appreciated the services of welfare organizations and also urged the youngsters to take part in such activities. About Sabawoon Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On...

Sabawoon Showcase: July 5, 2017

Role of Welfare Organizations in our Society The latest episode of Jwandai Jazbey (alive spirits) focused on the role of welfare organization and its positive impact on the society. Social work for the betterment of society, eradication of poverty, Darmange welfare organization and its services, trying to get rid of load shedding by sensitizing public to pay the electricity bills. Furthermore, old traditions should be practiced on death and other occasions. Moreover, the program shed light on Darmange welfare organization that it also tries to patch up between two families in order to end their enmity. Shams-Ul-Bari, District Member and Head of Darmange Welfare and Development Organization and Roshan Khan, President of Darmange Welfare and Development Organization, took part as the studio guests in the show. Mr. Shams said: “My message is to live in peace and educate your children. Fights and conflicts is not the solution to the problems. We should live in brotherhood as life is very short.” Mr. Khan: “I suggest that the youngsters must introduce such welfare organizations in other villages as well. It would not only decrease problems to a great extend but would solve them.” A radio report was made part of the program. The report highlighted the activities and services of “Thinkers Association” which is founded by the youngsters of Bajur Agency and their prime focus is to educate children. Three callers took part in the program. The callers appreciated the services of welfare organizations and also urged the youngsters to take part in such activities. About Sabawoon Sabawoon airs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is designed to highlight the local issues and promote the fundamental governance values, such as democracy, rule of law, women’s rights, and equal citizenry. The show airs Monday through Thursday every week under four themes on FM-101.5 Peshawar and Dera Ismail Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. On...