Current Projects
Sabawoon Showcase: Regional Review of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)
December 27, 2016, Peshawar: The latest episode of Sabawoon[i], flagship radio program of Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), was under the theme of Da Semi Jaaj (regional review). This program presents prominent news from the region and provides a crisp analysis. Following reports were included in the program: The problems faced by recently repatriated internally displaced people (IDPs) in Orakzai Agency. Pollution problems faced by the people of Kohat district and lack of planning by the district administrations. A three-day ‘Swat Expo 2016’ organized by students to promote small businesses, architectural designs and prototypes. Demand for a fruit market by the locals of Waziristan Agency. A debate competition on Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR) organized by students in Mohmand Agency. Sabawoon airs Monday through Thursday on FM-101.5 Peshawar & DI Khan 711 KHZ from 3:20 PM to 4:00 PM. [i] Sabawoon is a flagship radio program by CRSS in the KP/FATA region, designed to highlight local issues, and promote fundamental global values such as women’s rights, rule of law, equal citizenry, democracy, governance and accountability. It airs four times a week, under four themes. On Monday, Jarga Maraka covers current affairs and issues, coupled with government and other senior officials. On Tuesday, Da Semi Jaj gives a holistic regional overview of the most important stories across the length and breadth of KP/FATA. On Wednesday, Jwandei Jazbay covers issues most important to youth, students and females. Finally, on Thursday, Ranra covers social issues that have a cultural angle and/or impact.
Pakistan’s Water Security Made Part of CPEC Framework
Pakistan and China on Thursday decided to make water security a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework amid threats by India to review its position on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. The decision to exploit full hydel potential of Pakistan was taken during the sixth meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the CPEC which was held in Beijing. The JCC is the highest policy making forum of the CPEC. The JCC also decided, in principle, to make the mass transit projects of all four provinces part of the CPEC. These projects will be formally made part of the CPEC after their financial and technical vetting by Working Group on Transport in February next year. For development of hydroelectric projects on the Indus River, particularly construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam, the JCC on Thursday constituted a group, said Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal after the meeting. The planning ministry released the video of his statement. “Pakistan may face a very severe water crisis and for economic and food security of the country, the immediate construction of Diamer-Bhasha is crucial,” he said. If the Diamer-Bhasha dam becomes part of the CPEC, it will be a landmark achievement, he added. For more than two decades, Pakistan has been trying to construct the Diamer-Bhasha dam that has an estimated cost of $14 billion. Due to opposition by India, both the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have refused to lend money under one pretext or another. After the rise in tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) in recent months, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had threatened to cut Pakistan’s water supply. He has managed to influence the WB that recently paused the process of playing mediator, which it is bound to play under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, according to experts on the accord. Chinese help to secure Pakistan’s water rights will be seen as a major development, according to them. The Indus River is a source of more than 17...
Making the Case for Afghanistan: Why Now is Not The Time to Abandon The Country
In a year filled with blockbuster headlines, Afghanistan remained under the radar for much of 2016. That is, of course, not necessarily a bad thing, but plenty of newsworthy issues remain—only on December 21 did Taliban gunmen attack the Kabul home of a member of parliament, killing eight people. The Afghan national mood is at a record low, according to the latest Asia Foundation survey, with two-thirds of respondents stating the country is “going in the wrong direction,” more than double the proportion who thought so in 2012. This is not surprising: the security situation has worsened; the relationship between the country’s top political leaders remains volatile; economic growth has decelerated; and, although a peace deal was signed, it was not with the Taliban. There is, however, some cause for optimism and despite evidence of growing fatigue, Afghanistan’s major international partners continue to demonstrate economic and military commitment to the country. With speculation rife as to the impact the Donald Trump presidency will have on U.S. engagement in Afghanistan, the Royal United Services Institute’s (RUSI) assessment from several recent trips to the country is that any significant reduction in current military and financial commitments would have serious repercussions; the very real threat of a civil war, reminiscent of the early 1990s, justifies the continuation of international support. Afghanistan’s security continued to deteriorate throughout 2016, with the Taliban’s expanding influence across the country and ‘ISIS in the Khorasan’ (IS-K) claiming credit for high-profile sectarian attacks. The U.S. inspection body SIGAR reported that the Taliban now “influences” at least 25 districts and controls eight more. In this reading, the Afghan government controls over 60 percent of Afghanistan’s territory and the Taliban roughly 10 percent, with the remaining territory contested. Several independent commentators challenge this picture: the Long War...
Challenges and Opportunities for Afghanistan in 2017
For Afghanistan, 2016 was another year coupled with both ups and downs that tested the government, people, and the international community’s resolve to assist the country. Failures of the National Unity Government of Afghanistan (NUG) included the Taliban’s temporary re-capture of the strategic provincial capital of Kunduz for a second time, the reemergence of the Islamic State in eastern Afghanistan, and the government’s inability to create employment opportunities to stop the exodus of Afghans into Europe. Meanwhile on the upside for the NUG, 2016 has seen the peace deal with Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin, increased connectivity with China, the opening of the first rail connection between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, and successful efforts to isolate Pakistan at the regional and international level. The Failures of 2016 The rise of insecurity across Afghanistan Insecurity rose all across Afghanistan this year, in particular in the northern and southern parts of the country. Like in 2015, the Taliban recaptured the strategically vital capital of Kunduz province in the north, which government forces recaptured from the Taliban only after intense fighting. Not limited to Kunduz, the Taliban also expanded their insurgent activities across Faryab, Jawzjan, and Baghaln provinces in the north. Furthermore, Helmand province, which has so far remained one of the most contested regions between the government and Taliban, witnessed bloody battles in 2016. The Taliban additionally launched group assaults on Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province, but were successfully repelled by Afghan government forces. Furthermore the Taliban also initiated heavy battles to seize Tarin Kot, the provincial capital of Urozgan province, but were once again pushed away by Afghan government forces after fierce clashes. These significant gains by the Taliban demonstrate that they are more organized and better equipped than before; they additionally possess the ability to challenge the writ of...
Pakistan is Winning Its War on Terror
Until a few years ago, Pakistan was one of the most dangerous countries on earth. The tribal areas in the north were infested by the Taleban, whose bases stretched to within 100 miles of the capital, Islamabad. Western intelligence agencies feared that the Taleban could seize one of the country’s nuclear installations, then hold the world to ransom. Large parts of the country elsewhere were lawless or terrorised by armed groups. It would be foolish to claim that Pakistan’s security problems are over. But something extraordinary and unexpected has certainly happened. Since it fails to fit the established narrative of Pakistan as a dangerous nation, it’s gone unacknowledged in the West. Violence has not just dropped a bit. It is down by three quarters in the last two years. The country is safer than at any point since George W. Bush launched his war on terror 15 years ago. The change can be dated to a special cabinet meeting called by prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Karachi in September 2013. At this meeting Sharif called an end to Pakistan’s culture of violence. Parts of Karachi, a teeming city of more than 20 million on the Arabian Sea, had been a war zone for decades. All the main political parties employed paramilitary wings and some formed alliances with terror groups including al-Qaeda. The Taleban had long treasured a secure basis in Karachi, as had religious terror groups. That was a conventional crime industry specialising in kidnap, drug smuggling and extortion (every business had to pay protection money to gangs). Pakistan’s politicians tolerated this. Pervez Musharraf, the army chief and president, was often accused of allowing the armed wing of Karachi’s largest political party, MQM, to operate with complete impunity. This policy continued under Musharraf’s civilian successor, Asif Zardari, whose Pakistan’s People’s Party governed Karachi in coalition with MQM from 2008 to 2012. Five years ago we walked around gangster-infested Liyari town in Karachi’s...
Kabul Deplores Exclusion from Trilateral Meeting
Russia, China and Pakistan meet in Moscow to discuss "growing ISIL threat" in Afghanistan - the third in a series. Government officials in Kabul have reacted with dismay to a trilateral meeting in Moscow involving Pakistan, China and Russia to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The gathering in the Russian capital - the third in a series of consultations between Russia, China and Pakistan that have so far excluded Afghanistan - is likely to deepen worries that the government in Kabul is being sidelined in negotiations over the country's future. Ahmad Shekib Mostaghni, Afghanistan's foreign affairs ministry spokesperson, said the government was not optimistic about the outcome of Tuesday's meeting. "Even if such talks are organised with a good will, it cannot yield any substantial results because no one from the Afghan side is there to brief the participants about the latest ground realities," Mostaghni said. He said meetings without the presence of Afghan government officials will not represent a real picture of the situation. For their part, the representatives from Russia, China and Pakistan at the Moscow meeting said the influence of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group was growing in Afghanistan and that the security situation there was deteriorating. They also agreed to invite the Afghan government to such talks in the future, the Russian foreign ministry said. "[The three countries] expressed particular concern about the rising activity in the country of extremist groups including the Afghan branch of IS," Maria Zakharova, the ministry spokesperson, said referring to ISIL, also known as ISIS. She said the three countries agreed on a "flexible approach to remove certain figures from sanctions lists, as part of efforts to foster a peaceful dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban movement". Responding to the developments, Fawzia Koofi, an Afghan parliament member, said Pakistan should convince the Taliban to come to the negotiating table "so that...
Afghanistan Funds Abusive Militias as US Military 'Ignores' Situation, Officials Say
The US military and the CIA are turning a blind eye as Afghanistan’s spy agency spends foreign donor money on militias which are committing human rights abuses that help destabilise the fragile country, according to local and western officials. The Afghan national directorate of security (NDS) arms strongmen ostensibly to fight the Taliban and other militants. But some militia leaders use their new power to fight local turf wars, including against elected government officials, rather than insurgents. One such commander, Perim Qul, in the northern province of Takhar, has received about $85,000 (£70,000) to arm 500 men. However, he allegedly spends part of that money on a private prison where he beats and extorts local people. His men have even ambushed and killed a local politician. One evening in July, Perim Qul’s men detained a man named Najib as he was relaxing outside the hotel he owns. After several days’ beating, Najib said he would acquiesce to their demands for cash and asked for a phone to request the $3,000 they demanded. Instead, he called police, who rescued him. Najib sent photos of his bruised back and legs to the provincial prosecutor, and got one of his tormentors arrested. “I have no enmity with Perim Qul. I am just a simple hotel owner,” Najib said. That kind of justice, though minor, is rare in Rustaq district. Qul, a 55-year-old war veteran with no official title, has been running Rustaq like a fiefdom for over a decade. Local residents say he has opposed any attempt – including by the government – to assert authority there. To pay his men, he allegedly coerces civilians. So when the Afghan government last year approved Qul’s request to enrol in its anti-Taliban militia program, many local people were concerned. Hundreds protested outside the district government building. Contemporary western security reports obtained by the Guardian warned that reinforcing Qul’s militia could add to violence, crime and territorial rivalries. Qul got money for...
Afghanistan Funds Abusive Militias as US Military ‘Ignores’ Situation, Officials Say
The US military and the CIA are turning a blind eye as Afghanistan’s spy agency spends foreign donor money on militias which are committing human rights abuses that help destabilise the fragile country, according to local and western officials. The Afghan national directorate of security (NDS) arms strongmen ostensibly to fight the Taliban and other militants. But some militia leaders use their new power to fight local turf wars, including against elected government officials, rather than insurgents. One such commander, Perim Qul, in the northern province of Takhar, has received about $85,000 (£70,000) to arm 500 men. However, he allegedly spends part of that money on a private prison where he beats and extorts local people. His men have even ambushed and killed a local politician. One evening in July, Perim Qul’s men detained a man named Najib as he was relaxing outside the hotel he owns. After several days’ beating, Najib said he would acquiesce to their demands for cash and asked for a phone to request the $3,000 they demanded. Instead, he called police, who rescued him. Najib sent photos of his bruised back and legs to the provincial prosecutor, and got one of his tormentors arrested. “I have no enmity with Perim Qul. I am just a simple hotel owner,” Najib said. That kind of justice, though minor, is rare in Rustaq district. Qul, a 55-year-old war veteran with no official title, has been running Rustaq like a fiefdom for over a decade. Local residents say he has opposed any attempt – including by the government – to assert authority there. To pay his men, he allegedly coerces civilians. So when the Afghan government last year approved Qul’s request to enrol in its anti-Taliban militia program, many local people were concerned. Hundreds protested outside the district government building. Contemporary western security reports obtained by the Guardian warned that reinforcing Qul’s militia could add to violence, crime and territorial rivalries. Qul got money for...
Geo-Politics and Afghanistan
A new regional dynamism on peace and conflict led by Russia and China has emerged. With the presence of armed groups and the emergence of new terrorist bands such as Daesh there, Afghanistan remains at the core of these new developments. The third session of a trilateral “working group” comprising Russia, China and Pakistan held on December 27 in Moscow also underscores what is playing out in the region. Following the rare meeting, the group announced that Kabul will be invited to participate in future meetings on the threat posed by Islamic State (IS) militants in Afghanistan. The decision appeared to be a response to Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Shekib Mostaghani who, in a note of disapproval, had asserted that “regardless of the good intentions of the participants, the Moscow talks would not help the situation in Afghanistan.” In a joint statement the three nations also reiterated their interest in facilitating peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban. The most striking in the statement was the collective “particular concern” over “increased activities of extremist groups including the IS (Daesh) affiliates in the embattled country.” A cursory look as to what is driving the new developments and guiding the Moscow-Beijing-Islamabad consultations entails some worrying as well as encouraging realities. Firstly, the stalemate on ground in Afghanistan, with 2016 having been the bloodiest year in over a decade of conflict between Taliban insurgents and Kabul. Secondly, the realisation that only a regionally-led and coordinated solution might work following failure of international, US-led efforts to normalise Afghanistan. This might also result in the cooption of Iran, one of the two strategic neighbours of Afghanistan, into the dialogue, which should serve as a big facilitating factor. Third, the birth of Daesh, which most regional players view with extreme skepticism, resonated also by Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of Russia to the...
KP Police Reforms Instrumental in Crime-Control, DPO Charsadda
The KP Police is reforming itself rapidly but the public at-large are unaware of these reforms. The endeavors aim to improve public service; reforming the ‘thana culture’ and removing the political influence over the police. One of the significant outcomes of police reforms is 60 to 70% decline in terrorist activities and up to 40% reduction of crimes in the area. The improvement in the law and order has helped police concentrate on improving its public service. As part of the accountability mechanisms established in KP Police, the recruitment process is being carried out in a transparent manner; through NTS and the promotion system has been linked with performance. The SHOs are accountable to Village and Neighborhood Councils, DSPs are accountable to Tehsil Councils and DPOs are answerable to District Councils. These were the remarks made by Mr. Sohail Khalid, DPO Charsadda during a public forum on police reforms at District Council Hall, Charsadda. Mr. Fahad Azam, District Nazim, Charsadda, Mr. Musawar Shah, Naib Nazim, Charsadda, Mr. Qasim Ali Khan, Opposition Leader, District Assembly and Haji Riaz, District Councilor and JI leader also spoke on the occasion. The event was participated well by the members of community with diverse backgrounds including lawyers, local government representatives, media, academia and youth representatives. 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. The DPO Charsadda said that the most prominent feature of KP...
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TESTIMONIALS
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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.