Current Projects
Non-Pashtun Taleban of the North (2): Case studies of Uzbek Taleban in Faryab and Sar-e Pul
The Taleban have spent many years ‘localising’ their fight in the north, recruiting local fighters and commanders and keying in to Afghan Uzbek madrassa networks in Pakistan and the north. That drive has paid off; in the Uzbek-majority provinces of Faryab and Sar-e Pul, the Taleban have gained significant ground against the government. In this second dispatch on non-Pashtun Taleban in the north, AAN’s Obaid Ali looks in detail at the movement’s recruitment and force strength and at the threats it poses to both the Afghan government and the pre-eminent Uzbek power-holder, First Vice President General Abdul Dostum (with input from Thomas Ruttig). A previous dispatch looked at the Taleban in the Tajik-dominated province of in Badakhshan. Before looking in detail at how the insurgency has played out in the Uzbek majority provinces of Faryab and Sar-e Pul, it is worth looking at how Uzbeks fared when the Taleban were in power, as the comparisons are useful. Uzbeks before and during the Taleban’s Islamic Emirate The Taleban movement was founded by Pashtuns in Kandahar in the summer of 1994 as a local force; its initial recruits came from the south, from ‘Greater Kandahar’, the provinces of Kandahar, Uruzgan and Helmand. Many of the early Taleban had studied in Afghan madrasas, and most of the movement’s leaders had fought against the Soviets as members of various mujahedin factions. Often, they were part of specific ‘taleban’ fronts (taleban is the Dari/Pashto plural of taleb which means a student of a religious school or madrasa) (see this AAN paper for more detail: p 10-1). However, as early as 1995, Tajik and Uzbek religious scholars and students from northern Afghanistan who were based in Pakistan as refugees reached out to the nascent movement. These scholars and students were members of a religious organisation called Jamiat-e Tulaba-ye Afghanistan (Religious Students Association). (1) Members of Jamiat-e Tulaba (who wished not to be named) explained to AAN that...
Afghan Weekly (Mar 10 – Mar 16, 2017)
At least 40 Taliban killed along with 16 ISIS militants This week, at least 40 Taliban were killed in Afghan security operations conducted in Chora district of Uruzgan, Central Ghazni and Helmand provinces. Sixteen ISIS militants, including seven Pakistani nationals reportedly, were killed in Nazian and Kot districts of Nangarhar. A suicide bomber packed with explosives, on Monday, ran into a crowded minibus in Kabul, killing one and wounding 23 persons. It was the second severe attack in Afghan capital within the margin of a few days. The following day, two cops were shot by unidentified gunmen in Kabul. Meanwhile, 3 US soldiers also got injured in attacks on US forces in Nangarhar as a reaction of the counter-terrorism operations in the area. International efforts to seek a solution to the Afghan conundrum Russia indicated last month that at some stage it would also make efforts in persuading the Taliban to engage in the consultative dialogue and discussions over Afghan peace process in a bid to make it more inclusive. Afghanistan, however, disagrees with the idea, for the time being at least, as this would effectively legitimize the insurgent group and undermine the elected Afghan Government. Contrary to Kremlin’s approach, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg still considers Taliban as the real threat to Afghanistan’s peace. This divergence in approaches is likely to make any energies futile in achieving peace in the war-ravaged country. Meanwhile, two US senators, John McCain and Lindsay Graham, urged the US administration to intensify their fight against terrorism in Afghanistan on the same lines as it is confronting the ISIS, claiming that the whole of Afghanistan may also be lost as the Afghan government had lost 15% of its territory to insurgents since last year. Earlier this week, the Chinese Government also reassured the Afghan Government and its people that China will continue to steadfastly support the Afghan Government’s fight against...
KP Police Reforms Promoting Crime-Free and Just Society: SP Investigation, Charsadda
The vision of KP police is to promote the society free of crimes and injustices. The KP police reforms are historical; and no such efforts have been made in the past to benefit the general public with community policing initiatives across KP. The Public-Police partnership is crucial for the crime-control and KP police reforms augur well for their cooperation in the future to eradicate crimes and other menaces from the society. The reforms have and are expected to bring massive behavioral change in the police. The public information sharing with police enables early intervention and preventative work to safeguard and promote welfare and for wider public protection. These were the notions expressed by Pir Shahab Ali Shah, SP Investigation, Charsadda Police during a public forum on KP police reforms. Prof. Bokhari Shah, Govt. Post Graduate College, Charsadda and Dr. Altaf Ahmed, Tehsil Naib Nazim, Charsadda also spoke during the event. The forum was part of the project “Ulasi Police” an awareness and advocacy campaign undertaken by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) – as part of USAID Small Grants and Ambassadors’ Fund Program – to strengthen the rule of law in KP province by promoting and disseminating the significant police reforms aimed at incorporating local communities’ policing needs and international human rights standards. The endeavor aims to tackle the trust deficit between the public and police, help KP police become an accountable and community-focused police force. Pir Shahab Ali Shah said that specialized institutions were direly needed for the human capital development and capacity building of KP police. In this regard, several specialized schools have been established and operating successfully to improve the capacity of police on investigation, intelligence, tactics, IT, explosive handling, riot management etc. The KP police reforms have greatly helped controlling crimes in the society. Police cannot tackle the crimes alone, without...
Bordering on insanity
Top businessmen from Afghanistan and Pakistan went into a huddle this past week to raise a collective voice about the consequences of closing the border on Feb 17. The consensus that emerged from the meeting, organized by a private sector think tank under the intervention known as Beyond Boundaries, was an emphatic demand for it to be unsealed as soon as possible. Initially, said the declaration, the border should be opened at least until all the cargo stranded on either side of the fence is cleared, while both governments try to sort out their political and security issues directly or otherwise. Nearly 5,000 containers remain stranded, mostly between Karachi and Torkham and Chaman. Hundreds of them are carrying egg and milk aligned items, which take an additional charge of 55 dollars a day for refrigeration. Most of the cargo is Pakistani food exports for Afghanistan or Afghan transit trade. Members of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chambers of Commerce and Industries pointed out that at least half a dozen closures within the last 12 months is debilitating for business and people on both sides. The ensuing delays in clearance, demurrage or detention charges, or costs of inspections (in case customs officials decide to conduct a random check of a container) have often been crippling for the Afghan importers, they pointed out. They claimed that customs at Karachi use the threat of consigning containers for random checks as a blackmail tool to extract gratification. If we refuse to pay some Rs20,000 to Rs25,000, we eventually have to pay nearly double the amount if a container is marked for a snap check, they said. Arbitrary increases in the taxes on seasonal fruits and vegetables, Afghan traders underscored, only add to the costs of doing business through Pakistan. The impact of abrupt closures, corruption between the port and the two border crossings, as well as inconsistent taxation can be gauged by the fact that the number of Afghan transit/commercial containers...
Aziz to meet Afghan national security adviser in London
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will meet Afghan National Security Adviser (NSA) Hanif Atmar in London on Wednesday in an effort to defuse tensions between the two countries over alleged terrorist sanctuaries. The meeting has been arranged by the United Kingdom, which is resuming its mediatory role in the complicated Pakistan-Afghanistan equation. This would be the highest level face-to-face contact between the two sides since their fraught relations went into a tailspin after last month’s spike in terrorist attacks in Pakistan after which Islamabad had closed down border crossings with Afghanistan and shelled terrorist sanctuaries on the Afghan side along the border. The crossings remain shut except for a brief two-day relaxation for return of stranded people. Islamabad accuses Kabul of not taking action against the sanctuaries from where it says terrorists were planning and directing attacks in the country. The Afghan government has confirmed that NSA Atmar has left for London for the meeting, whereas Mr Aziz, while talking to Dawn, said there was high probability of a meeting. “We have yet to confirm our participation,” he maintained. Mr Aziz would, nevertheless, be visiting London to attend the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Mr Aziz and Mr Atmar had already been talking to each other after the latest downturn in the two countries’ bilateral ties. Mr Aziz had late last month disclosed that the two sides were negotiating a mechanism for addressing each others’ terrorism concerns. But the talks faltered because of deep mistrust. Afghanistan, it is said, had in response to Pakistan’s call for action against terrorist hideouts on its soil linked it to similar measures by Pakistan against Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network on its soil. At the same time, it had insisted that any action should be verified by a third party. Mr Aziz, in a meeting with Afghan media on Tuesday, emphasised the need for comprehensive bilateral...
Sartaj Aziz Says Pakistan Promises Nuclear Arms Responsibility
Pakistan vowed on Tuesday to work to prevent non-nuclear states from gaining the technology that would put them on the path to acquiring nuclear weapons in a pledge delivered by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. Aziz was speaking at a multi-nation conference on non-proliferation in Islamabad, attended by representatives of South and Central Asia, as well as China and Russia. Aziz told participants at the Islamabad conference that Pakistan has implemented regulatory precautions to avoid siphoning off technology into the wrong hands. The two-day conference also includes representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and Interpol. Pakistan is signatory to the 13-year-old United Nations resolution aimed at curbing the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, with a particular emphasis on preventing non-state actors from getting their hands on massively destructive technology as well as materials. When India started down the nuclear road by launching its program in the early 1970s, Pakistan was quick to follow. The tensions between the two countries neither of which is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Agreement have raised the specter of a nuclear confrontation between the two hostile neighbors. Pakistan has come under sanctions in the past because of its nuclear weapons program and as a result has run into shortages of spare parts for its nuclear reactors that provide energy. It has also been critical of US support for India's inclusion in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which devises guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports. This article originally appeared in Dawn News March 15, 2017. Original link. Disclaimer: Views expressed in the article are not necessarily supported by CRSS.
Dangers of Populism
Prime Minister Narendra Modia and team are basking in glory and confidence following the stunning success in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and three other states. Nobody could foresee the BJP grabbing a whopping 310 seats out of the 403 in the 220 million strong UP. Allegations of electoral fraud and manipulation aside, the resounding results do stamp confidence on Modi’s policies, which have increasingly been communal and nationalist in outlook accompanied by the promise of development. Indian voters heard quite a bit of Pakistan-bashing, too, during the campaign. But, as a whole, Modi’s current popular ascendency merits realistic consideration and underscores that people in the region are swayed by the promise for change and development, just as the US voters reposed trust in Donald Trump’s “America first” and “this carnage must stop at American borders.” Modi, too, has been focused on galvanising the latent sentiments and frustration with the status quo leadership. And has thus proven its worth. The big mandate places huge responsibilities on the strident BJP. But such victories should be humbling too, one would assume. Because if the sense of triumph morphs into arrogance – the way it did in Germany under Hitler or Italy under Mossoulini – it can entail long term irreparable consequences even for the best placed nations such as the US. Not surprising at all that the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on March 14 urged his nation to help him stop the march of populism in Europe, hours before a debate with his rival anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders in a key election debate. “I want The Netherlands to be the first country which stops this trend of the wrong sort of populism,” Rutte said, just hours before he was due to go head-to-head with his arch rival. “You could say these are the quarter-finals in trying to prevent the wrong sort of populism to win. The half-finals are in France in April and May and then in September in Germany you have the finals,” Rutte said, speaking in...
Af-Pak Traders Demand Reopening of Border; Appreciate CRSS Efforts for Dialogue
A delegation of traders from both Afghanistan and Pakistan met in Islamabad to discuss issues of mutual interest and on-going tensions between both the countries. The delegations not only discussed the negative impact of Pakistan’s Torkham border closure, but also called upon the Pakistani government to reopen the border crossing with immediate effect. A six-member delegation of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or ACCI, visiting Islamabad, met with Pakistani counterparts on Monday to discuss problems and damages the border closure has caused The delegations met as part of Beyond Boundaries- a CRSS led project focusing on Afghanistan Pakistan Tack 1.5/2 diplomacy – to discuss difficulties arising out of the abrupt closure of Af-Pak border on February 17, 2017. The meeting took note with grave concern that the border has been closed for 5 times during the short span of approximately 8 months since June 2016. The latest closure comes at a time of high diplomatic tensions between both the countries. The group members comprised of representatives from private and business sectors of both the countries and reiterated and understood the need for maintaining border security. Yet they also emphasized that measures to ensure security may not be continued at the beset of hurting the economic and social ties across the border, such a sudden closure of borders. Keeping in view this situation, the forum highly urged both Governments: To immediately open the border for the clearance of stranded cargo from port to borders and restart the border trade activities. To consult a joint committee, formulated at the level of a forum, comprising private sector and think tanks from both countries. The committee should act as an advisory mechanism which the Governments may consult for advice before taking extreme measures such as closure of borders or revision of economic policies in general. Having such a committee would ensure that business activities don’t come...
Russia Hints at Involving US in Talks on Afghanistan
Russia has hinted at involving the United States in a newly-launched regional dialogue Moscow says is aimed at seeking a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan. The move comes as Afghanistan’s national security adviser is due to visit Moscow to discuss the prospects for promoting reconciliation with armed opposition in his country. Moscow’s stepped up Afghan diplomacy stems from its concerns that a protracted conflict is encouraging Islamic State militants to establish a foothold in the war-torn country and export terrorism to neighboring Central Asian states that ultimately could threaten Russian security. In December, the Russian government hosted senior foreign ministry officials from China and Pakistan for the first time to discuss ways to encourage direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The participants also exchanged views on how to collectively work to contain “spillover” effects of terrorism. Kabul strongly objected being left out of the trilateral meeting, however, while U.S. officials also questioned Russia’s intentions for organizing the talks. The criticism and skepticism prompted Moscow to expand the format of the dialogue to include Afghanistan, along with Iran and India, in the next meeting it hosted last month. Involving more partners “At its next stage we think it will be important to, in a timely fashion, involve in that same process our Central Asian partners as well as the United States,” said Vladimir Safronkov, the Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations, on Friday. He was addressing a U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. Safronkov reiterated that the consultations are working out “a single regional approach” to “reinvigorate” the Afghan reconciliation process. He made the remarks on a day when the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Afghan National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar will visit Moscow March 17 for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “The officials will...
Cases of Violence Against Women Remain Unabated
The issue of violence against women in Afghanistan remains alarming as thousands of women become the victim of some sort of violence each year in the country. The Prosecution Office of Violence against Women announced a couple of days ago that it had registered more than 2,400 cases of violence against females during the outgoing year (Hijri Shamsi calendar). Of these cases 1375 were recorded in Kabul, 125 in Balkh, 250 in Herat, 116 in Nangarhar, 17 in Logar, 80 in Kapisa, 28 in Samangan, 31 in Bamyan, 37 in Jawzjan provinces and the remaining incidents happened in Ghor, Panjsher, Sar-i-Pul, Maidan Wardak, Paktia, Nimroz, Farah, Parwan and Badakhshan provinces. Though the numbers show a decline in the recorded cases as compared to last year wherein 3,500 cases of violence against women were recorded, they are still very high and alarming. It is also important to note that these numbers do not include all the incidences of violence against women and it is more tragic to know that only few of these cases are referred to the courts for follow-up. Another major point of concern is the fact that there has not been speedy justice in response to the cases of violence against women. The cases that are brought to the law enforcement agencies are not pursued with proper vigor and determination and the result is that the culprits easily get away with their crimes. If the culprits are caught on time and they are brought to justice this will give a very clear message and will enhance the confidence of the people on the justice system. This can also be helpful in encouraging those victims who never go the law enforcement agencies to file their complaints against different types of violence that are carried out against them. Nevertheless, their experiences have shown to them that their tribal norms and values and the draconian code of conduct that rule over their society stand more powerful than the hold of the justice that can be provided to them through the police or court of...
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I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.