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How Pak Air Force served as the hammer in counter terror Zarbe Azb Operation?
CRSS Note: The following story discusses the role of Pakistan Air Force in Operation Zarb-e-Azb with input from CRSS Annual Security Report 2016. The Pakistani air force (PAF) has played a decisive role in eliminating militancy over the past two years, monitors say. The PAF took active part in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, targeting high-profile militants who had taken refuge in the mountains of North and South Waziristan, where direct ground operations were difficult to carry out. The army launched Zarb-e-Azb in June 2014 after years of generally steering clear of North Waziristan. "In the last two years, the PAF carried out 1,327 aerial attacks that killed many militants and destroyed their safe havens and infrastructure of terrorism," Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Executive Director Imtiaz Gul told Pakistan Forward. The PAF conducted 1,094 air strikes against militants in 2015 and 233 air strikes in 2016, according to the CRSS Annual Security Report 2016. "The number of PAF attacks on militants dropped in 2016 as aerial and ground operations eliminated the strongholds, networks and infrastructure of the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other militant groups in North and South Waziristan in 2015," Gul said. "Fighter jets and gunship helicopters of the [PAF] bombed the hideouts of militants in Khyber Agency, North Waziristan and Shawal," he said. After the start of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, militants fled from Waziristan to Shawal, which is situated on the border with Afghanistan and was the stronghold of Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) commander Mangal Bagh until his death in July 2016, he said. But PAF air strikes and Pakistani army ground operations killed most of the militants in Shawal, while some leaders of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), LI and al-Qaeda fled to Afghanistan, he said. "The combination of PAF and ground troop operations against militants proved very successful in destroying their hideouts on mountains and in caves," he said. Precision-guided air strikes...
A Lot to Talk About!
The latest show-cause notice to the Bol News TV by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) says the show Live with Dr Shahid Masood discussed sensitive information “recklessly and carelessly”. Only a few days earlier PEMRA had put the maverick Amir Liaquat Hussain on notice for his reprehensible tirade against several other individuals. But much to the chagrin of PEMRA and many others, he was frothing and fuming on his and other channels the next day, mocking the PEMRA ban. It basically underscores the oft-repeated bitter fact of life; missing or deficient implementation of the existing laws. And it is certainly nothing new. Let us consider the history of official bans/ orders and their implementation in this country; on January 12, 2002, Pakistan banned six radical outfits including one shia organization. All of them resurfaced and continue their missions to date with different names, although the Anti-Terror Act 1997 specifically mentions that no person associated with a banned outfit would be allowed to operate under a new name. The same is reiterated in Point number 7 of the National Action Plan (NAP) which undertakes that “the defunct outfits will not be allowed to operate under any other name.” But reality on ground point to the contrary; once LeT became JuD, for instance, and its charitable arm assumed the name of Falahe Insaniat Foundation (FIF), it has only multiplied in numbers and remains very much active even in the capital Islamabad. A direct crackdown following administrative action certainly carries the risk of violence and disorder. But that should not deter the state from taking legal actions against persons or groups considered detrimental to the interests of people both in and outside the country simply because a number of international treaties place compliance obligations on the state of Pakistan. One critical element responsible for the catapulting of aberrations such as these anchors is the boundless greed of the...
SIGAR Offers Bleak Statistics for Afghan Progress
Afghanistan is the largest and longest operation in NATO's 68-year history, yet 15 years on the SIGAR report says the Afghan National Security Force numbers are down and insurgents control or influence more area than ever before. In his first report to the new Trump administration, a U.S. watchdog that monitors billions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan issued a bleak progress report, saying the Afghan government controls barely half the country, its security forces numbers are on the decline and drug production is on the rise, while eradication is down. The one bright spot, says the report, is a noticeable drop in corruption when procuring goods and services. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has launched a country wide anti-corruption campaign since taking power in 2014 elections, which ended in controversy and the formation of a so-called Unity Government. In this government Ghani is president and his presidential election rival, Abdullah Abdullah, is chief executive. In his 269-page report released Wednesday, John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction's (SIGAR) office, noted that this latest quarterly report is the first since President Donald Trump took office Jan. 20. He said it was a good opportunity for the new administration to reflect on the $117 billion Washington has invested in Afghanistan since 2002. The Taliban were ousted in December 2001 by the U.S.-led coalition after they refused to hand over Al Qaida chief Osama bin Laden, blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. In just the last three months, Sopko's office conducted an investigation that resulted in a $99 million dollar single-source contract being canceled, it flagged a large hotel/apartment construction project that had been abandoned after receiving $85 million in loans from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, a U.S. government institution, and revealed that Afghan contractors working on U.S.-funded projects were not being...
Sabawoon Showcase [January 31, 2017]
Show Title: Regional Review of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) The latest episode of the Da Simay Jaaj (regional review) focused on two major public issues i.e. education, health, agriculture and the state of health in some parts of province. The show contained reports on a) Technical education and the hurdles faced by students due to transformation of Technical Board into Trade Testing Board. b) The demands of locals in Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency, to revitalize agriculture sector in the region. c) Increase in cases of Hepatitis-C in KP and FATA and the role of Hepatitis Control Program in dealing with this disease. d) Problems faced by the residents of Kohat because of the booming unlicensed medical stores. 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 regions. Jwandai Jazbey airs on Wednesday and deals with issues of relevance to, and significance for, youth, students and women. Socio-cultural affairs are discussed in Ranra on Thursday.
Rallying Around the White Flag: Taleban Embrace an Assertive Identity
The Taleban appear to have woken up to the importance of organisational symbols and their political meaning. Compared to how little they cared about their image during the 1990s and the initial years of the insurgency, the Taleban now project an increasing consciousness of their ‘brand’. This is seen in both their media and the actions of fighters and officials on the ground. Borhan Osman traces this change through one phenomenon – the Taleban’s use of their flag. This piece is part of series looking at the Taleban in transition. Read previous pieces of this series: This dispatch discusses the heightened importance that the use of the flag has gained among the Taleban as a possible indicator of the movement’s increased self-awareness of its political brand. It first describes the different fields in which the Taleban now assertively showcase their flag and then analyses the apparent reasons for this. The proliferation of the flag: from the Qatar office to the battlefield One area where the Taleban’s sense of a political identity has become most visible is in the use of their flag, which has a white background inscribed with the shahadah, the Islamic statement of faith and sometimes, also, the movement’s official name, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The flag is now on display wherever there is a Taleban presence. This is in sharp contrast with the movement’s years of rule. During the 1990s, the core of the emerging Taleban movement was drawn primarily from the students of village madrasas who had rarely had any exposure to concepts of protocol used by modern political organisations. Neither fighters or commanders wore uniforms or carried symbols of affiliation. Their clothing was that of any other man from the south – black turbans, worn by most men in provinces such as Uruzgan, and loose trousers with particularly long shirts, again normal for southern Pashtun village men. Former fighters recalled in conversations with the author how, on the frontlines, they...
Husna Khan: How a Female Police Constable Strives to Improve Female Rights in KP.
Husna Khan, Lady Constable in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Police, joined law enforcement force in 2010. She believes that like health and education, women have a critical role to play in the police. “I joined police force not just to serve the public, but to resolve the issues of our sisters facing domestic and gender based issues,” she says. “A woman cannot express herself clearly and confidently in front of my male counterparts. It is my duty to help such women articulate and flag their problems”. Women desks in model police stations are playing a vital role. When an aggrieved female comes to the police station, she is provided consolation and a positive environment so that she may express herself clearly. Female constables listen to her plight and report her complaint to higher ups. This chain allows women to express themselves without feeling like they are being marginalized or discriminated against. “It was thought that women cannot serve in police, which is dominated by men. But we are proving this wrong, and I stress that lady police officers should do well to bring a about constructive social change,” says Khan. She believes that she has a duty to uplift and improve the lives of women in Pushtun society. Ms. Khan says the job is not all sitting behind a desk. She is occasionally involved in raids and search operations. “As a female police officer it is my job to enter that house first. We ask the ladies of the house to move aside so we can do our job.” Khan says that even in such tense situations, it is important that the police show tolerance and respect. “Harsh words are exchanged sometimes, and people get upset, but our job is to maintain peace and calm.” The issues faced by females are multifaceted and permeate every aspect of society. Khan believes that the addition of women into the police force has the potential to alleviate problems for women at the societal level. “I request my sisters to join police, because authority empowers women to overcome gender...
Afghanistan Weekly Field Report | 22 to 28 January 2017
The total number of individuals displaced by conflict in 2016 has risen to 636,503, as joint teams continue to finalise assessments of those displaced last year. In 2017 so far, 2,864 individuals have been verified as displaced. Around 42 per cent are located in hard to access areas. Northern/North Eastern: Military operations including airstrikes in areas surrounding Kunduz city continued for the sixth consecutive week, with 1,470 individuals displaced in 2016 (located hitherto in inaccessible areas) verified in the past week. In Faryab, 455 IDPs were verified in Maimana city. In 2017 so far, over 1,114 verified IDPs have been displaced from the Northern/North Eastern region; approximately 39 per cent of the country total. Central: Following military operations in Kapisa, 1,288 IDPs have been verified in Tagab district, with a reported further 281 unverified IDPs in Kabul to be assessed next week. In Kabul, undocumented returnees from Pakistan continue to arrive, with 826 individuals verified in the past week. Southern: The overall security situation remained static in Uruzgan, Hilmand and Zabul, with NSAG maintaining frontline positions. In Uruzgan, 3,206 individuals displaced in 2016 were verified in Tirin Kot. In Qalat district, Zabul, heavy rains destroyed homes, with 231 individuals affected. Assessments for rain-affected families in Kandahar is ongoing. In 2017 so far, 1,211 verified individuals have been displaced from the south; around 42 per cent of the country total. Eastern: Military operations including airstrikes continued in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan. While there were no new reports of displacements, local officials in Nuristan raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation. Western: The security situation in the Western provinces remains unstable, with reports of small numbers of displacements. In Hirat city, 63 individuals were verified displaced from Jawand district in Badghis, and 35 individuals from Sangin in Hilmand....
Afghanistan Weekly Field Report | 22 to 28 January 2017
The total number of individuals displaced by conflict in 2016 has risen to 636,503, as joint teams continue to finalise assessments of those displaced last year. In 2017 so far, 2,864 individuals have been verified as displaced. Around 42 per cent are located in hard to access areas. Northern/North Eastern: Military operations including airstrikes in areas surrounding Kunduz city continued for the sixth consecutive week, with 1,470 individuals displaced in 2016 (located hitherto in inaccessible areas) verified in the past week. In Faryab, 455 IDPs were verified in Maimana city. In 2017 so far, over 1,114 verified IDPs have been displaced from the Northern/North Eastern region; approximately 39 per cent of the country total. Central: Following military operations in Kapisa, 1,288 IDPs have been verified in Tagab district, with a reported further 281 unverified IDPs in Kabul to be assessed next week. In Kabul, undocumented returnees from Pakistan continue to arrive, with 826 individuals verified in the past week. Southern: The overall security situation remained static in Uruzgan, Hilmand and Zabul, with NSAG maintaining frontline positions. In Uruzgan, 3,206 individuals displaced in 2016 were verified in Tirin Kot. In Qalat district, Zabul, heavy rains destroyed homes, with 231 individuals affected. Assessments for rain-affected families in Kandahar is ongoing. In 2017 so far, 1,211 verified individuals have been displaced from the south; around 42 per cent of the country total. Eastern: Military operations including airstrikes continued in Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan. While there were no new reports of displacements, local officials in Nuristan raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation. Western: The security situation in the Western provinces remains unstable, with reports of small numbers of displacements. In Hirat city, 63 individuals were verified displaced from Jawand district in Badghis, and 35 individuals from Sangin in Hilmand....
Fourth Generation War and The Intelligence Arm
In the evolving security paradigm across the world, intelligence arm has assumed the role of an important component in statecraft. Their tasking however vary in accordance with the political system in place. In mature democracies the input of these organizations is considered with utmost seriousness especially in matters relating to national security. With nuclear weapons on their inventory, the belligerent countries now mostly resort to soft power to subdue the opponents and further their national interests. Soft power application in the fourth generation war primarily by the intelligence organizations is now considered as the main effort in executing state policies. It will not be out of place to say that in the current environment the intelligence arm forms truly the first line of defense. Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, ISI, rose to prominence as a consequence of international response against Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. Becoming a front line state, courtesy its geography, Pakistan found itself in the eye of a storm and the next in line of Soviet expansionist designs. Financially supported by the US and gulf countries the entire resistance movement was operationalized and managed by ISI that ultimately led to the defeat and subsequent break up of Soviet Union in 1989. Thence onwards this agency remained close to the hearts and minds of both its enemies and friends alike. With Kashmir still remaining as unfinished agenda of Partition, Pakistan perpetually remains under constant Indian covert and overt threat. The very recent open overtures by Indian National Security Advisor Mr. Ajit Doval to unleash its fourth generation offensive against Pakistan compels the country to remain prepared and alert on all fronts keeping its intelligence capability at all times ready. With turmoil in Afghanistan in its 16th year and hardly any hope for improvement in situation visible, Pakistan continues to suffer its direct fallout especially on internal...
Afghanistan: Perceptions
No country can exist in isolation in the age of globalisation. It has to prioritise its own interests and engage accordingly with other countries. Due to its strategic location, weak economy and decades-long rivalries with a strong neighbour, Pakistan needs cordial relations with its neighbours and other countries in the periphery. Being a superpower, the US has special importance for Pakistan. Similarly, the importance of Iran and Russia cannot be ignored. China, a rising power, has not only been a strategic friend but has also become an economic partner. India – a historical foe and one of the largest countries in South Asia – also has to be on our priority list. However, Afghanistan – which is, comparatively, a weak and poor neighbour – is of greater importance to Pakistan. The reasons for building stronger ties with Afghanistan are manifold. First, both countries have strong social, political and strategic links. Pakistan’s stability therefore depends on stability in Afghanistan. Second, the West views Pakistan within the context of Afghanistan. Third, Afghanistan’s situation directly affects and defines Islamabad’s relation with the US, Russia, China, India and Iran. Fourth, Pakistan has involved itself for many decades in Afghanistan and made a social and political investment that no other country can match up to. The decade-long instability in Afghanistan and its impact on Pakistan has compelled me to explore and understand the situation in Afghanistan. I have travelled extensively to Afghanistan in my quest to develop a stronger understanding on the subject. From time to time, I have reported, written and used my TV show to highlight Afghanistan’s crises with the hope of resolving them and bringing the two countries closer. I paid a huge cost, both mentally and physically, for pursuing this aim and was even arrested by the Taliban in 1998. At this crucial stage, when relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have touched the lowest ebb, I consider it...
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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.