BY SHAHANA NASEER & TARIQUE HAFEEZ Amidst the international sanctions and humanitarian crisis that followed in August 2021 in Afghanistan, various international players have actively supported the country through humanitarian and economic assistance. The following is a breakdown of the substantial international efforts to provide development aid to Afghanistan amidst the ongoing political and economic challenges. Each country and organization that has played a crucial role in addressing the humanitarian crisis and supporting the Afghan population in various critical sectors is listed below: U.S. 2021 S. humanitarian aid for the country and for Afghan refugees in the region has totaled nearly $474 million so far this year. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/22/us/politics/afghanistan-sanctions-aid-taliban.html S. Assistance to Afghanistan. The United States remains the largest donor to programs supporting the Afghan people, disbursing more than $2.8 billion for humanitarian and development assistance since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. https://www.sigar.mil/interactive-reports/sigar-quarterly-report-2024-01-30/#:~:text=U.S.%20Assistance%20to%20Afghanistan,-An%20Afghan%20woman&text=The%20United%20States%20remains%20the%20largest%20donor%20to%20programs%20supporting,Taliban%20takeover%20in%20August%202021. More than $1.73 billion of the nearly $2.52 billion appropriated for assistance to Afghanistan since the end of FY 2021 has gone toward humanitarian assistance, representing 69% of the total, and another $404 million, or 16% of the total, went toward development assistance. https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/quarterlyreports/2023-10-30qr.pdf Amount: $2.8 billion Purpose: Humanitarian aid Source: https://thediplomat.com/2024/05/what-is-the-state-of-us-assistance-to-afghanistan-and-afghans/:~:text=The%20%242.8%20billion%20in%20appropriations,falling%20precipitously%20since%20October%202021. Amount: $12 million Purpose: Items such as food, health care and shelter...

In October 2021, we wrote a letter to the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Qamar Javed Bajwa, to warn about the imminent threats posed by Circular Debt and Capacity Payments to Pakistan's national security. Our letter not only highlighted these critical issues but also offered practical solutions that could have averted the current crisis. Regrettably, our warnings and recommendations went unheeded, leading to the challenges the country now faces. We hope that in the future, such expertise and advice will be taken seriously to prevent similar crises. Here, we share the original letter to emphasize the urgency and importance of addressing these issues. It serves as a testament to the foresight provided and a reminder of the need for proactive measures in safeguarding our nation's security and economic stability. To General Qamar Javed Bajwa NI(M) HI(M)                                                                                         Oct. 03, 2021 Chief of the Army Staff of Pakistan Army GHQ Rawalpindi Subject- COAS Can Save Pakistan From Economic Collapse By Addressing Energy Security I would like to invite your kind attention towards the state of electricity in Pakistan and Karachi at large since I consider your involvement imperative; for the reasons that the events and orders and situations when the Ministry of Energy and enormous allied entities, including the National Power Regulator, (NEPRA) has to remain questionable in respect of transparent and bold conduct. The system and trust in the political economy of energy and its governance do not disallow us to say that I have lost faith and trust in the system. Just so you know – the letter is addressed to you, without malice or prejudice to any individual or office. I have tried to highlight the serious issue of Energy security, which has universally become a subset of National Security. This way it is sure that I can reach you most effectively on a subject of national importance.  Our archrival...

Introduction:   Individuals do not matter in Iran. The state is based on principles, constitution, and institutions that ensure continuity of policy under the guidance of the Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, says Dr. Amiri Reza Moghadem, Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan, in an interview with Imtiaz Gul, CEO of CRSS and ASC. Below is the video and the transcript of the interview. Transcript: Q1: Hello friends, the world is facing significant turmoil, particularly in the Middle East and South Asia. Iran, having recently lost its President, finds itself in a complex situation. The late President had visited Pakistan, a crucial regional partner. The question now is how Iran will position itself amidst regional powers like China, Russia, and Pakistan. Joining me today is Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Dr. Reza Amiri-Moghaddam, who will share insights on the potential implications of President Ebrahim Raisi’s passing on Iran's relationships in this challenging neighborhood. Ambassador: I extend my sympathies and condolences on the martyrdom of Shaheed Raisi, the honorable President of Iran, and his companions. We lost a President who dedicated his life to serving Iran, extending relations with Islamic countries, and upholding Islamic values. He defended Palestine and stood against the Israeli Prime Minister's genocide, supported by the West. Regarding policy changes, the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on institutions and a constitution. Our institutions, including the judiciary, parliament, and executive, work under the Supreme Leader's guidance. The High Council of National Security sets overall policy principles, which cannot be compromised. While President Raisi may have had different approaches, the basic principles remained the same. The transfer of power from one president to another does not depict changes in existing policy. Q2: Are you suggesting as Iran heads to presidential elections, there is no fear of any pro-US or pro-West leader getting into...

By Engineer Arshad H Abbasi Pakistan, despite possessing the sixth-largest nuclear arsenal, has been rendered economically vulnerable due to its failing power sector. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, during the World Economic Forum in April 2024, highlighted the economic devastation caused by the energy sector and climate change. There is a significant lack of understanding within the government regarding the linkage between electricity generation and climate change. This has led to a drastic reduction in hydroelectricity production and increased reliance on thermal and coal-fired power plants, resulting in higher electricity costs and rapid depletion of natural gas reserves   Pakistan’s power sector woes have now created an existential crisis for the country contributing to premature deindustrialization and severe energy poverty for the people. The staggering circular debt, on the other hand, is another headache that the government faces – literally a noose around its neck. A 2022 report [1] asserts that “IPPs have committed fraud to the tune of Rs 4.0 trillion over the last twenty years (Rs 200 billion each year) mainly through invoicing errors, misinterpretation of power purchase agreements, and blatant over-invoicing of plant costs.” Critics call it a heist that is now bleeding Pakistan’s economy. This CRSS report – authored by Engineer Arshad Abbasi - highlights yet another extremely damaging dimension of IPPs heist; namely, the intimate and unaccounted costs of IPPs emissions on climate change as well as lost opportunity to lower generation costs, both for the industrial and residential consumers. The report underlines that Pakistani government negligently never promoted retrofitting of thermal plants to use UNFCCC facilities to increase efficiency and reduce fuel consumption per unit of older and inefficient power plants. This report presents example of lackluster GoP commitment to support retrofitting application by two IPPs to UNFCCC in March 2013. It...

Organized by: The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and University of Peshawar, Pakistan Introduction As part of the Beyond Boundaries project, CRSS organized a session with Afghan students studying at various universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), in collaboration with the Shaikh Zayed Islamic Center at the University of Peshawar (UoP). The goal was to engage in an open dialogue with Afghan youth to understand their perceptions of Pakistan and encourage them as ambassadors of peace, equipped with critical thinking skills to counter false narratives prevalent on social media. Objective Recognizing the pivotal role of youth in shaping the future of Pakistan and Afghanistan, the discussion aimed to address their unique challenges. These include limited economic opportunities, exposure to divisive media narratives, and a lack of constructive dialogue platforms. By addressing these issues, the session sought to empower Afghan youth to contribute positively to bilateral relations. Event Discussion Dr. Aamer Raza, a Fulbright scholar and senior academician at UoP, emphasized the importance of people-to-people exchanges in dispelling myths and building trust between the two nations. He highlighted the historical complexities affecting bilateral relations and stressed the need for local perspectives in policymaking. Dr. Raza noted that direct interaction between the citizens of Pakistan and Afghanistan could play a crucial role in mitigating misunderstandings and fostering a sense of shared history and future. The session, attended by 22 Afghan students (11 male and 11 female), provided a platform for them to voice their opinions and experiences. They expressed gratitude to CRSS for facilitating candid discussions and acknowledged the support of the Pakistani government in their education. However, they also raised several issues affecting bilateral relations, such as the stigmatization of Afghan students and bureaucratic hurdles in visa and...