On Wednesday, September 16, 2015, the Center for Research and Security Studies held the “United for Peace” event at the Pearl Continental hotel in Peshawar in the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP). The musical event was conducted to show solidarity with the people of Peshawar and the greater KP, and to help spread the message of hope and peace. Notable guests included members of national assembly and KP provincial assembly , the honorable ambassadors of Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Argentina, and Tajikistan, and other diplomats from Portugal, South Korea and Indonesia. As a part of the CRSS campaign for social peace and cultural diversity, the event was designed to serve as a symbol of hope for a city that has been traumatized by years of violence. Since the war on terror began in the early 21st century, Peshawar has seen an upsurge of militancy and stark violence unlike any other part of the country. The last eighteen months have seen unprecedented progress in the face of this tide of terrorism, and the people of Peshawar have received some respite in the form of better safety and service delivery. This event embodies the peace-loving nature of the people of Peshawar and KP, marks a return for community events, musical festivals and cultural gatherings in the city, and enhances the softer image of a resilient people by putting Peshawar on the international radar. This event also raised funds for the rehabilitation of education infrastructure in conflict-affected parts of KP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Envoy's Band The highlight of the evening was a performance by the Envoy’s Band. This band, formed in Islamabad by foreign dignitaries with a shared passion for music and peace, performed in public for the very first time. Envoy’s Band members include H.E. Inomata Hiroshi, the Ambassador of Japan, an avid drummer, and H.E. Nedim Makarevic, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a singer and guitarist. The duo was also supported by Mr. Gerry...

by Arshad H. Abbasi The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources published an op-ed in August defending his Ministry’s actions in the LNG process. The “facts” cited in his op-ed deserve to be refuted separately, but one thing is evident: the Minister spends more time spinning facts to defend mistakes rather than admit the reality in front of the public eye. He makes simple facts sound complex to confuse laymen, and even alleges, “LNG procurement is a sophisticated process and cannot be explained by so-called ‘energy experts’ with a few baseless statements.” Owing to space, this op-ed will not be able to address all points, but the most glaring inaccuracies that stick out are: 1. Projecting the country’s demand for natural gas as just “Pakistan’s projected demand of 15 million tonnes per annum of LNG” – this is a grave distortion of facts that leaves a reader thinking that there are no alternatives to LNG.  Global LNG trade started, in January 1959 in more than 42 Countries gas through pipelines, with a volume of 24 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF). LNG volume in more than 25 countries is 12 TCF. The import price is made public, and prior to that, due diligence and analysis on price, in local economy. Pakistan’s “LNG saga” is unprecedented. The country has a natural gas shortfall of estimated 3 BCF/day, but alternatives of pipelined gas, exploiting indigenous resources and natural gas demand conservation through efficiency and controlling 15% losses (UFG) cannot be ignored. 2. The LNG price quoted ignores what the final cost would be to a power plant, because even on a FOB basis, the landed price plus the charges of regasification, charges to SSGC, SNGPL or other entities involved would apply. What would be the cost of electricity generation when cost LNG, stated by Minister $8.2 and $8.6 per MMBTU? Is it not the true that total cost at doorstep after price addition is $ 11, $ 12 or $13/mmbtu?  This matter is not explained, and actual cost is ambiguous. The official...

Whenever any high-ranking US officials visit Pakistan, we brace ourselves for the mantra of ‘Do More!’. However, this time when the US National Security Advisor Susan Rice made an ‘emergency visit’, Pakistan needed to counter the same mantra to the ‘dictating’ party. This was the best opportunity to do so as the agenda of the visit was not only to reduce the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan but also to outline President Obama’s Global Vision on Climate Change. Obama is now all-out for science; the greatest threat to future generations is neither terrorism or nuclear weapons, nor Isis – but climate change. The US and China have reached a landmark agreement to take significant action to reduce carbon pollution. What better time would there have been to highlight the most crucial issue of the melting of the Siachen Glacier? This is not only a regional issue but is a global issue. Sadly, the official rhetoric of India over the melting of Siachen is global warming; this is only a red herring and issuccessfully sold by India, while Pakistan keeps mum over the melting. When India occupied the glacier in April 1984 it became the highest battleground on earth. Both countries defend their positions by maintaining permanent military presence there. India is trying to prove its hegemony by developing forward base camps, cantonments, training schools, aviation workshops and huge ammunition storage in the area. The Indian Army has also laid down a kerosene pipeline to facilitate troops in the inhospitable terrain where temperatures dip to minus 40 Celsius. That, and hourly helicopter flights to carry logistics to forward posts along the Saltoro Ridge, has further accelerated the unprecedented rate of glacier meltdown. The mass balance of Siachen, which is a key value to climate variation, has reduced tremendously. Satellite images at different intervals, grounds reports, and hydro-logical techniques to measure the mass balance of Siachen, all substantiate its...