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Public-Private Partnership Must for De-radicalization
The speakers at a seminar on 'Rule of Law and Counter-Terrorism ´ Roles of Public and Private Sectors' on Monday called for comprehensive legal reforms to ensure rule of law in the country and deal with radicalization, extremism and terrorism. The seminar was organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Chairman of Stockwell Green Community Services (SGCS) Mr. Toaha Qureshi MBE, Expert on International Law, Mr. Ahmer Bial Soofi, Ex-MNA Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, former DG Intelligence Bureau and expert on Criminal Justice and Police Reforms Dr. Shoaib Suddle and CRSS Executive Director Mr. Imtiaz Gul addressed the seminar. Giving the UK perspective on counter-radicalization and rule of law, Mr. Toaha said it was not possible to establish the rule of law without police, judiciary and the community working together in support of each other. He said the efforts in the United Kingdom to deal with radicalization had started much before the 9/11 with police and community working as partners to counter radicalization, extremism and terrorism. 'Identification of issues is the first step to handle radicalization,' he said, adding that once the issues were identified a comprehensive policy with input from all stakeholders could be formulated. He said a variety of measures including education and employment opportunities with justice to all were the basics to establish rule of law and it was a collective responsibility of the people and the government. Talking about the situation in Pakistan, he said rule of law could not be established until law applied to all equally without any prejudice and cast distinction. 'Encourage public-private cooperation, engage educational institutions and create a demand for rule of law,' he said, adding that the role of community was central in creating a demand for rule of law. Mr. Ahmed Bilal Soofi said respect for rule of law implied respect for national and international laws equally. He said it was duty of the state to...
State, Religion and Democracy – A Comparative Perspective of Four Muslim Countries
The book gives a comparative perspective of four Muslim countries namely; Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan on 'State, Religion and Democracy'. The publication is part of the Dialogue Forum series titled: 'State, Religion and Democracy' in 2013 launched by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) as part of its democratic advocacy and counter-radicalization program. This three part series of visits and lectures aimed at generating a debate on the issues of democracy, the role of religion, good governance, and sensitizing Pakistani youth on secular forms of state governance in Muslim countries. Other objectives included obtaining a comparative perspective on how different Muslim states manage both religion and politics separately, so that religion is treated as a matter of personal choice, not state business. Furthermore, the Dialogues also aimed to show how the differences of culture, religion or ethnicity are handled in a way that they become a culture of accommodation and tolerance, rather than confrontation and conflict. for complete report please clickhere.
Demand for complete abolition of the FCR
An increasing number of F ATA residents are joining hands to demand the abolition of the FATA regulations as well as annulment or comprehensive amendment in the Article 247 of the constitution. Women participants of the consultation also demanded complete abolition of the FCR. 'The FCR doesn–t even recognize the existence of women, what to talk of property and inheritance rights?' asked a female activist. All participants demanded of mainstream political parties to rid FATA of the British Colonial era black laws. They also demanded extension of all laws including the freedom to media and rights of assembly. 'The FCR is of no good for us at all, it is neither humane, nor admissible in this electronic age,' Abdul Lateef Afridi Afridi, eminent lawyer and former member of National Assembly told a gathering of experts, lawyers and social rights– activists held at Peshawar Saturday. Organized by the Center for Research and security studies (CRSS) as part of its advocacy and awareness campaign for comprehensive reforms to FATA regulations, the meeting was held to discuss the 'Needs for Reformation, Challenges and Way Forward.' Lateef Afridi reminded the participants of the articles 8 to 28 in the federal constitution and said all these rights must be extended to the residents of FATA as well, adding that even the FATA Tribunals had proved to be a futile patchwork. 'We see some light on the horizon and hope we will get rid of the draconian FCR within next few years, and for this you must all continue to your struggle,' Afridi said on an optimistic note. Life under FCR is worse than that of animals because of no recourse to law and court. We must all join hands to get rid of this regulation that is totally inconsistent with fundamental rights. Akhunzada Chittan, former MNA from Bajaur Agency, recalled all political efforts for reforms in the FATA system in the last few years and said there is a whole lot of condemnation and rejection of FCR and we need to take the next...
A new Afghanistan?
The vote count in Afghanistan is still on. Initial official but partial results by its Independent Election Commission (IEC) appear to put Dr Abdullah Abdullah ahead of Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, with Zalmay Rassoul, the Karzai favourite, trailing way behind. The partial outcome has also triggered speculations in Kabul that Rassoul and the other presidential candidate Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf are now considering to give their votes to either of the two frontrunners to help them pass the fifty percent vote target to avoid a runoff election. Whatever transpires on May 24 when the Election Commission announces the final results, these elections clearly marked a major step forward in Afghanistan transition from tribalism to quasi-democratic way of handling issues. The unusually big turn-out clearly underscored a thumping rejection of: a) violence, mounted by the Taliban since 2001, b) President Hamid Karzai legacy (Zalmay Rassoul), and c) leaders whose past is either stained with blood or the flag-bearers of the Salafi brand of Islam personified by Professor Sayyaf. By coming out in droves to cast their vote during the relatively peaceful electoral exercise, nearly sixty percent of the 12 million eligible voters essentially snubbed Taliban warnings. Observers have reported that even in areas like Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, there was a surprisingly high turnout despite serious security challenges posed by the insurgents. Local officials estimated 350,000 votes polled in April 5 while the number was a little less than 250,000 in the 2009 presidential elections. This underlines not only a sense of defiance but also people confidence in the new evolving system. Speaking to reporters after the announcement of partial results by IEC, Ashraf Ghani said that the successful presidential vote sent a strong message to the international community that Afghans are for democracy contrary to the image of their nation being projected around the world. 'I am proud to be...
Consultative meeting with Bahawalpur Press Club
A consultative meeting with Bahawalpur Press Club on 'Rule of Law ´ Significance of Independent Prosecution Service in Criminal Justice System and Role of Media' was held on Wednesday, April 16, 2014, at La Taska Hotel, Bahawalpur, as part of GIZ-CRSS-PPD advocacy campaign for the Support to the Punjab Prosecution Service (SPPS) project and sensitize media representatives on this subject. Faisal Bukhari, General Secretary Bahawalpur Bar Association, former General Secretary Bahawalpur Bar Association and Senior Lawyer Javed Akhtar Pirzada, President Bahawalpur Press Club Shahid Akhtar Balouch, President Human Development and Relief Organization (HDRO)Yasmin Muslim spoke on the importance of media in highlighting issues of common interest and creating awareness among the people. Faisal Bukhari called for comprehensive reforms in prosecution department and said while lodging FIRs a majority of complainants didn't understand the procedure. He stressed the need for an awareness campaign and asked the media persons to highlight the functions of the prosecution service so that a common man should know what benefits he could get. Senior Lawyer Javed Akhtar Pirzada said that due to poor prosecution system the results were not as expected. He demanded protection for the witnesses. He said awareness among the people, education and training of media persons were a must to make them understand what the prosecution service was all about. Yasmin Muslim said laws only existed in the books. She said basic function of a prosecutor was to ensure that a case was properly investigated and this was possible only when the prosecutors were independent. He said thelaws should be implemented in letter and spirit with a mechanism in place to monitor the performance of the prosecution service. Shahid Akhtar Balouch thanked the CRSS for providing the media persons with an opportunity to understand the reforms being introduced in the prosecution service. The journalists said they were not...
The society cannot gain strength without justice and the role of an independent prosecution service
A conference 'Rule of Law ´ Significance of Independent Prosecution Service in Criminal Justice System' was held on Tuesday, April 15, 2014, at Ramada Hotel, Multan, as part of GIZ-CRSS-PPD advocacy campaign for the Support to the Punjab Prosecution Service (SPPS) project. Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilaniaddressing CRSS conference on Importance of Independent Prosecution Services in Criminal Justice System in Multan Former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani was the chief guest. Deputy Prosecutor General, Punjab, Abdul Wadood, President of Multan Bar Advocate Sher Zaman Qureshi, Senior Journalist Shaukat Ashfaq and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) District Coordinator Rashid Rehman spoke on the importance of an independently-working prosecution service in criminal justice system. Addressing the conference, the former prime minister quoted personal examples and saida fair trial was never conducted in all the cases he faced. He said the society could not gain strength without justice and the role of an independent prosecution service was critically important in conducting a fair trial to dispense justice. Mr Abdul Wadood gave an overview of the Prosecution Service and informed the audience about the working of the department and the reforms being introduced to build the capacity of the prosecutors. He also pointed out the difficulties being faced by the officers. Mr Sher Zaman expressed confidence in the prosecution service and said it was a good thing that had happened in the province. However, he said there was a lot more to do so that a common man really felt that no innocent person would be wrongly implicated in criminal cases and punished. Mr Shaukat Ashfaq said the system could not be improved until every individual respected law of the land. He said it was equally important to analyse and understand as to what exactly went wrong that today we were advocating for rule of law. He said there was respect for laws in 1960s and the society...
Monthly Report – March 2014
A steep decline was observed in the loss of human lives in March 2014. This phenomenon could be attributed to the peace negotiations initiated by the government and the ceasefire observed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban and the government for the whole month. The number of deaths dropped from 571 in February to 385 in March, signifying a drop of 30%. Does this mean that acts of terrorism ceased or took on a new shape and form? The report will take a closer look at all the incidents of violence committed during March 2014 to answer the question above. The targeted operation in Karachi came under criticism by some political and religious parties while the government showed no change in its policy regarding the operation. Targeted operation along with target killing, abduction, and dumping of dead bodies continued to plague the metropolis. Sectarian violence also registered a downward trend during the month. However, an alleged act of blasphemy led to the desecration of Hindu worship places in Sindh by angry mobs creating fear among Hindus living in Sindh and Balochistan. All these acts of violence and other facts reported in the national newspapers are collected to make this report as informative and factual as possible. Errors and omissions are always a possibility in statistical works including this one. However, such mistakes do not grossly affect the basic objective of this report. The report mainly covers the following topics: Ceasefire and its observance Casualties of militancy Casualties of security operation Attacks on Polio teams and their guards Sabotage activities in FATA and KP Sectarian violence Target killings in Karachi CRSS will appreciate receiving comments that the readers may have on this report. Report prepared by: Mohammad Nafees Senior Research Fellow Center for Research and Security Studies NOTE: Readers can approach CRSS for source of any information included in the report. Please send your request to: [mail@crss.pk]...
CRSS Critique of the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO)
Implications for Law and Security in Pakistan A contentious piece of legislation ´ the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO) 2014 that was rushed through the National Assembly ´ the legislature ´ on April 7 has kicked up a nation-wide debate over its legality and implications for the country. The government now wants to put it before the Senate ´ the Upper House ´ in a session beginning on April 14. Almost all opposition parties including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the third largest in the Senate, have rejected it and vowed to resist it. The Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) trumped other parties two days later, when a pro-PTI lawyer Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi petitioned the apex Supreme Court (SC) against the proposed legislation calling it 'a blow to the fundamental rights of the citizen and 'in conflict with several provisions of the constitution. Quoting protests by major parties in the lower house and their eventual boycott of the session in which the government used its majority to pass the law, Naqvi took the plea that the PPO accords judicial powers on the administration , in contravention of the apex court 1996 decision. The right to fair trial had been snatched from the citizens, and prayed before the court to declare the 'black law' in direct clash with the fundamental rights provided in the federal constitution. They contend that the PPO gives license to security agencies to indiscriminately exercise their powers, but also helps them escape embarrassments or public pressures, without any fear of accountability. Mian Raza Rabbani, who heads the PPP in the 100-strong Senate with 39 members, early Thursday spoke of his party serious reservations over the legislation and vowed to oppose it. Though divided, all parties outside the government ´ the PPP, the Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaide (PML-Q) appear united in their opposition to the proposed legislation which they says is draconian and...
Faith, accountability and rule of law
Addressing the launch ceremony of a new think tank on April 4, which was attended by religio-political leaders and activists, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan touched upon an issue that he considers is responsible for the social decline in Pakistan. I am pained to observe that our people have stopped recognising differences between right and wrong and do not differentiate between truth and falsehood anymore, Khan said in a rather emphatic, though imploring tone. He also underscored the importance of 'self-accountability' for a 'true Muslim society', and said that rulers should also subject themselves to strict standards of accountability in order to stem the degeneration in society. Khan is a devout, practicing Muslim. He is candid and well meaning. His high-pitched voice, at times, also betrays his inner emotions of disgust and helplessness. But he apparently forgets, or willingly glosses over the basic fact that if 'moral exhortations grounded in religion' were enough, the entire Muslim world would be an island of peace, development and equality. Unfortunately, the human propensity to deviate from regulations for personal benefit knows no limits. Devout Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc. can be very nice human beings, but this alone does not guarantee that they ¶ on their own ¶ would be law abiding too. Most nations have devised ways to keep religion an individual matter, while law enforcement is treated as a secular matter and as a responsibility of the state. Bo Li, a New York-based attorney, in his essay, 'What Is Rule of Law,' draws a distinction between 'rule by law' and 'rule of law'. Under rule by law, the law is an instrument of the government and the government is above the law, meaning thereby, dictatorial governments and elected leaders who act arbitrarily to bend or circumvent the law: it is essentially, rule by a few persons. 'In contrast, under the rule ¿of– law, no one is above the law, not even the government.' The core of 'rule...
Judicial assertion impacted relations between State Organs
A general consensus emerged on Monday at a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) that the 'judicial assertion' in Pakistan has impacted the imbalance that had existed between the state organs before the lawyers– movement for independence of judiciary in the country besides helping create an environment for establishing the rule of law with all state institutions without overstepping their respective domains as defined in the Constitution. The FGD on 'The Pakistani State, Military and Judiciary' was organized by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). Lt. Gen. (Retd) Talat Masood, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Masood Aslam, Mag. Gen. (Retd) Athar Abbas, Ayaz Wazir, Masood Sharif Khattak, Ammara Durrani, Dr. Moeed Pirzada, Tahira Abdullah, Brig. (Retd) Tughral Yamin, Khalid Azeem and Imtiaz Gul were among the panelists of the discussion. Opening the discussion, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Talat Masood said that the judicial assertion challenged the monopoly of military in state affairs and the media had played a central role in the lawyers– movement for independence of judiciary. He was of the view that the politicians did benefit from the lawyers– struggle and its consequences as the parliament has become more effective. 'They (the politicians) have become more assertive and a consensus is emerging now that the politicians should not support military,' he said, adding that the continuity of the democratic process too suggested that the military monopoly over state affairs was receding. Though, he said, the judiciary under Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry acted immaturely as it had almost paralyzed the executive, the situation was improving now with the present Chief Justice not following the footprints of his predecessor. However, he said the environment that emerged as a result of the lawyers– movement would go a long way to strengthen the democratic process. Participating in the discussion, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Masood Aslam said all the state institutions should accept the independence 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.