Pak-Afghan Relations: Need for a Reset By Dr.Huma Baqai Pakistan-Afghanistan relations have become extremely complex. The issues include a disputed border – officially called the Durand Line -, an increasing number of border skirmishes, the ambiguity surrounding respective positions on Taliban and the peace talks with them, lingering transit trade talks, water, and India-Pakistan rivalry being played out on the Afghan soil – dubbed as the Pak-India proxy war by the British historian William Dalrymple. The latest addition to the complex matrix is China’s unusual interest in improving the security situation in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s enduring security crises is a source of concern for the international community but it means a lot more to Pakistan and its economic future. But the traditional trust deficit that exists between the two countries is very pervasive on the Afghan side. The broad overarching consensus in Kabul today is that Pakistan continues to play a role of an enabler of violence in Afghanistan. The recent desire, willingness and commitment shown by Pakistan to facilitate the peace dialogue between the Afghan Government and the Taliban is also viewed with a lot of skepticism in Afghanistan. Very few in Kabul see it through the prism of Pakistan’s desire to bring peace in Afghanistan, largely it is viewed as a ploy by Pakistan to continue to manipulate the politics of Afghanistan and keep India out. Since 2014-2015, Pakistan has reemerged in the calculation of the movers and shakers of the world as the key to peace in Afghanistan. United States, China and even Russia look at Pakistan to deliver Taliban to the Peace Process. This has come after the realization that nearly a trillion dollar worth of US socio-economic and security investment in that country has failed to conclusively defeat the Taliban insurgency which remains a threat across the country. On March 12, 2014, US General Joseph Dunford, then Commander of ISAF and US Forces-Afghanistan, told...

Pakistan and India have both been impacted by the absence of a real bi-lateral relationship; the recent Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers makes a good attempt to re-initiate the process which was left in 2008; “Comprehensive” dialogue will hopefully be more than a change of nomenclature.” These were some of the comments made by Dr. T.C.A. Raghavan (High Commissioner of India) who was speaking at a seminar “State of India-Pakistan Bilateral Relations – Current Issues & Prospects” organized by Centre for Research and Security studies here on Monday. The High Commissioner said that relations between most neighboring countries around the world suffer from deadlocks and disputes, the only major exceptions include USA & Canada and countries within the European Union. The challenge is how countries work together to evolve a good, working & mutually beneficial relationship. He said that the post-partition sixty eight year history of India-Pakistan has very little that has contributed to evolution for a real relationship between both countries. Both countries have low level of trade, virtually no bilateral investments and little people to people exchanges. The best minds from both countries have been trying since partition to present solutions acceptable to both sides. The challenge remains: How do we move forward? Commenting on the recent developments in India and Pakistan he observed that there is a need to contextualize the recent breakthrough in Islamabad. The meeting between the two prime minister in Paris as well as the Bangkok talks between the National Security Advisors of both countries – provided a good basis. He said that the Joint Statement of the two foreign ministers is a very balanced statement which calls for a structured dialogue aimed to accommodate major concerns of both sides. He noted that “Pakistan has always had a defensive perspective with regards to Kashmir and it disregards and overlooks the concerns which many people of India...

Pakistan and India have both been impacted by the absence of a real bi-lateral relationship; the recent Joint Statement of the Foreign Ministers makes a good attempt to re-initiate the process which was left in 2008; “Comprehensive” dialogue will hopefully be more than a change of nomenclature.” These were some of the comments made by Dr. T.C.A. Raghavan (High Commissioner of India) who was speaking at a seminar “State of India-Pakistan Bilateral Relations – Current Issues & Prospects” organized by Centre for Research and Security studies here on Monday. The High Commissioner said that relations between most neighboring countries around the world suffer from deadlocks and disputes, the only major exceptions include USA & Canada and countries within the European Union. The challenge is how countries work together to evolve a good, working & mutually beneficial relationship. He said that the post-partition sixty eight year history of India-Pakistan has very little that has contributed to evolution for a real relationship between both countries. Both countries have low level of trade, virtually no bilateral investments and little people to people exchanges. The best minds from both countries have been trying since partition to present solutions acceptable to both sides. The challenge remains: How do we move forward? Commenting on the recent developments in India and Pakistan he observed that there is a need to contextualize the recent breakthrough in Islamabad. The meeting between the two prime minister in Paris as well as the Bangkok talks between the National Security Advisors of both countries – provided a good basis. He said that the Joint Statement of the two foreign ministers is a very balanced statement which calls for a structured dialogue aimed to accommodate major concerns of both sides. He noted that “Pakistan has always had a defensive perspective with regards to Kashmir and it disregards and overlooks the concerns which many people of India...

The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad signed a milestone agreement with the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) on Friday. The collaboration will help facilitate the Pakistan Center for Excellence (PACE) program that CRSS is launching in February, 2016. Under the agreement, CIIT will generously extend human resource and logistical support to PACE. CRSS Executive Director Imtiaz Gul with CIIT Rector Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi. PACE is a CRSS CVE initiative, designed to trigger critical thinking through a discourse anchored in fundamental global values such as socio-political diversity, tolerance, rule of law and equal citizenry. The concept of PACE sprang from nearly a decade of CRSS team’s research and advocacy experience in radicalization and extremism, and security studies. PACE will prepare a cadre of future leaders who will be trained in critical concepts such as equal citizenry, fundamentals of democracy, respect for fundamental human rights, good governance, and tolerance for diversity and opinions as the basic principle for rationalizing the dialogue on extremist ideologies and dissecting the causes of socio-political polarization.

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump's insistence on his incendiary proposal to ban entry of all Muslims into the United States in the aftermath of San Bernardino  massacre has received rejection and condemnation from across the broader political divide. Most of Trump's Republican running mates were quick to reject his proposal, a day after President Barack Obama laid out his plan to defeat the ISIL and its supporters wherever they may be. In a statement released to the media on December 7, Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown” of the country’s borders to Muslims in the wake of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. “Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in Jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life,” said Trump, whose recent statements, calling for tough measures against Muslim Americans have caused deep anxiety among human rights groups and the Muslim community. About seven million Muslims call the United States their home. Muslims are not the only community facing Trump's tirade. He has also offended women, Jews, Mexicans, Chinese and immigrants by targeting them at different times during his campaign. The real estate mogul has in the recent past advocated the closure of American mosques and recommended special IDs and databases for American Muslims, in a flagrant disregard to American values. The values to which President Obama referred to in a televised address on December 6. While outlining his plan to defeat ISIL and threat of terrorism at home, Obama used significant part of his speech to remind Americans that the country's Muslim population should be enlisted in the fight against extremism and terrorism rather than targeted with hate and suspicion. "ISIL does not speak for Islam.  They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death, and they account for a tiny fraction of more...