Current Projects
Burden of proof
(Pakistan counterterrorism policy will fail without drastic improvement in prosecution ) Two days after the assassination of Chaudhry Aslam, Karachi police registered a case against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah and spokesman Shahidullah Shahid. The latter claim of responsibility, it seems, became the basis for the first information report (FIR). This reminds us of the FIR against TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud for the December 27, 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and similar reports after the September 2008 car bomb attack on Islamabad Marriot Hotel, the attack on former premier Shaukat Aziz, the attack on the General Headquarters of the army, and the December 2009 attack on the Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi. Most of these cases have either been shelved, or lingering because of poor investigation and ill-prepared, unimaginative prosecution. Even those who publicly claimed responsibility for acts of terror and aggression against the state (often before cameras and microphones) either got off the hook or are still awaiting convictions. 'You cannot convict even a single person based on these FIRs,' a Miami attorney told me in early 2011, about reports registered against 'perpetrators and masterminds' of Taliban terrorist attacks in Swat in 2009. He was pursuing Swat-related cases of terrorist financing. Later that year, a key prosecutor told me the chance of conviction in all 73 terrorism-related cases was practically zero. There are serious legal bottlenecks in Pakistan counterterrorism strategy ´ a non-committed and often compromised prosecution that rests its case on poor police investigation and flawed documentation. Good prosecution, comprehensive legislation, and ruthless enforcement of laws through a professional, non-political police force are the fundamental pre-requisites in a fight against terrorism and extremism. It essentially means a combination of software and hardware ´ organizational reforms, training and comprehensive...
Malaysian scholars for the role of state to curb extremist tendencies in society
The responsibility of keeping the extremist tendencies in society in check lies with the state and it must create a balance among the diverse sections of the population. Malaysia has also its share of radical and extremists groups but the government despite favoring a certain level of Islamization in the country, has not allowed extremist groups to disrupt peace and harmony in society. Thus, Malaysia has successfully exhibited that the state has all the ability and potential to set some paradigms for the country to ensure the concept of equal citizenry. The visiting Malaysian scholars Prof. Ruhanas Harun and Prof. Dr. Kamarulnizam expressed these views while delivering lectures during the seminar ¿State, Religion and Democracy– at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU) here Thursday. The seminar was part of a series of discussions with Pakistani intelligentsia, academia and civil society on various contemporary issues facilitated by Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS) and Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad. Prof, Runhas Harun, during her lecture covered variety of issues regarding governance and ethno-religious problems in Malaysia and said that respecting differences was a key to resolve issues especially in society like Malaysia which was compassed of huge religious, cultural and ethnic diversity. She informed the audience that the government if Malaysia has been successfully able to establish a counter narrative including by presenting versions of Jihad based on inner strive and struggle to serve the humanity. Discussing various aspects of secular democracy, Prof. Dr. Kamarulnizam on the occasion said that religion has a significant role in Malaysia. Yet, he said the government has taken appropriate measures to ensure that and religion should not be posing a hindrance to the democratic and social development of the country. He said that the state has assumed its role to works for the betterment of underprivileged classes and to get them...
Malaysian scholars say state must evolve counter-radicalizing narrative to curb violent extremism
Malaysia has presented successful model of discouraging violent tendencies in society through a comprehensive strategy of counter extremism. Though various ethno-religious groups had been emerged as a major challenge for the social harmony but pro-active and vigilant role of the state has been able to keep the secular democratic of the country intact. The ethno-religious of Malaysia were different from the issues one can observe in Pakistan and hence, they may be demanding different set of solutions than of Malaysia, however, respecting differences should be essence of problem solving strategy in any democratic society. The visiting Malaysian scholars Prof. Ruhanas Harun and Prof. Dr. Kamarulnizam shared these views with the audience at University of Peshawar (UoP) while delivering lectures during the seminar ¿State, Religion and Democracy– here Wednesday. The seminar was part of a series of discussions with Pakistani intelligentsia, academia and civil society on various contemporary issues facilitated by Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS) and Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Islamabad. Prof, Runhas Harun informed the audience that on the face of threats emanating from growing ethnic and religious extremism in society, the state had evolved a de-radicalization strategy. In this regard, she said, the state has made quite significant inroad to set an alternate narrative including by presenting versions of Jihad based on inner strive and struggle to serve the humanity in numerous ways. While presenting role of the state in maintain harmony among the diverse groups of society, Prof. Dr. Kamarulnizam, in his lecture, said that the state has adopted a very accommodative attitude towards the religion in Malaysia but has taken appropriate measures to ensure that and religion should not be posing a hindrance to the democratic and social development of the country. He said that the state has assumed its role to works for the betterment of underprivileged classes...
Monthly Report – December 2013
The month of December saw a moderate reduction in the number of casualties related to militant, sectarian and politically-motivated violence plaguing Pakistan. The overall death toll was at around 275 while up to 325 people were wounded in these hostilities bringing the total number of deaths in 2013 to 5665. The figures recorded in November stood at 320 deaths and 320 wounded. It is, however, difficult to ascertain as to what exactly led to the decline in violence in view of the prevailing confusion that surrounds efforts Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif government is making to shape up an effective national security policy to end the bloodshed in the country. A deadly suicide bombing against a security post in the town of Mir Ali in North Waziristan in mid December that killed several soldiers provoked the military to launch a massive retaliatory offensive in the region, involving ground and air raids, allegedly killed nearly three dozen militants mostly Uzbeks. While the army insisted the offensive was carefully planned to avoid collateral damage, residents in the area accused security forces of killing mostly civilians. But the both the accounts as usual were difficult to confirm because the remote tribal region remains inaccessible to journalists and aid workers. The operation prompted nationwide media speculations that a long-awaited military offensive against suspected militant bases in North Waziristan was finally either underway or about to be launched. But the army rejected these reports as unfounded, insisting the offensive was just meant to punish planners of the December 18 suicide bombing. Critics suggested the talk of a possible large-scale military offensive might have discouraged militants from carrying out subversive acts elsewhere in Pakistan and instead focused on fortifying their traditional bases to prepare for the reported army operation. Meanwhile, authorities claimed that violence also went down in Karachi during the month because of the...
Malaysian scholars term democracy as only choice in the wake of emerging challanges
Growing ethno-religious extremism in Malaysia poses serious mounting challenges to social harmony among the population, yet the majority of Malaysians still believe that by adhering to the principles of secular governance and democracy can help in fending off these challenges. Visiting Malaysian scholars Ms. Ruhans Harun and Dr. Mohammad Kamarulnazim Abdullah expressed this optimism during their lectures on ¿State, Religion and Democracy– (SDR) at FC College and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) held on January 13, 2014. The SDR is a Center for Research and Security Studies initiative, supported by the Heinrich Boll Stiftung (HBS). It involves scholars from Turkey, Malaysia and Indonesia, who have been delivering lectures and holding intellectual interactions with Pakistani scholars and university students since early 2013. The primary objective of the initiative is to highlight the need for separation of religion from politics and advocate promotion of globally practiced principles of democracy. During 2013 scholars from Turkey and Indonesia visited various Pakistani universities and think tanks to share their experiences and to inform the audience as to how their states were trying to keep a distinction between faith and political economy. Ms. Ruhans Harun, eminent scholar and Professor at National Defence University of Malaysia, in her lecture said that political stability, security and socio-economic well-being of the population were necessary requirements to nurture democracy in Malaysia. She said that state sponsorship of religious conservatism began in the last quarter of the previous century and resulted in creating a deep schism in society. However, she said, the state was gradually able to check the fallout of these policies, and eventually managed to and neutralize threats to the system posed by radical forces. Today, she said, there is a much greater realization that inclusive political economy and democracy is the only way to guarantee...
Caught in the middle
Amidst conflicting global interests in the region, economy and security are Pakistan key challenges this year The two most pressing challenges that Pakistan faces in 2014 relate to worsening security and an unstable economy, reeling from more than a decade of insecurity. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) recently forecast Pakistan economy to grow by 4.1 percent in 2014. It also warned about a double-digit consumer price inflation (circa 11 percent in 2014), likely to be the highest inflation rate among the 17 developing Asia-Pacific economies selected for the survey. Consequently, poor and vulnerable households will be disproportionately affected as they spend a larger part of their income on food purchases, the ESCAP warned. That is bad news for millions of poor Pakistanis, and would look even worse if the survey were grounded in the reality of suburban and rural life in Pakistan, continuously conflated by rising energy prices, and a relentless manipulation of food prices by powerful cartels. While millions suffer from the crippling effects of indirect taxation and the arbitrariness of the food and fuel cartels in determining prices, economists also wonder as to whether and how the government ´ which represents powerful businessmen, industrialists and agriculturalists ´ will be able to turn around the situation for the common man as far as inflation and employment generation are concerned. The Sharifs may succeed in roping in foreign investments in Punjab, but will they adopt a whole-of-Pakistan approach and address these issues in a national framework? That is where their test lies. Will they, as national leaders, let the PPP in Sindh, the National Party and the PKMAP in Balochistan, and the PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa benefit from a holistic approach, or focus on turning Punjab into a thriving commercial hub in 2014 and beyond? Well, they can–t expect Punjab to permanently prosper while its vicinity sulks in...
Gulf of mistrust
Mutual suspicions, acrimony, allegations, and brinkmanship marked the Pakistan-Afghan relations during 2013. Pakistan 'released' Mulla Baradar and some three dozen Taliban prisoners. This year, bilateral trade hovered around two billion as compared to $ 2.5B in 2012. Pakistan not only extended the deadline for Afghan refugees living in Pakistan but also facilitated Taliban leaders– travel to the meanwhile dead and dysfunctional Qatar office. A seemingly erratic President Hamid Karzai, despite blowing hot and cold on Pakistan, visited Islamabad in August, demanded more cooperation and promised reciprocity. Eventually, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif traveled to Kabul in November, while members of Afghanistan High Peace Council were given access to Mulla Baradar secretly (the Taliban claim that Baradar is still under detention and is, therefore, irrelevant to peace negotiations). In early 2013, Pakistan, like many other countries including India, the US and Germany, also offered a strategic partnership agreement to Kabul. However, the Afghans dithered and never responded to the offer. Later on, on the 20th of December, 2013, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan, Afghanistan and India had no option other than becoming good friends. He also added that the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, had agreed not to let his country to be used against Pakistan. Such pleasantries, however, hardly change realities of an acrimonious relationship that is clouded by several geo-political factors. Pakistan links to, and alleged support for, Mulla Omar and Haqqani Taliban remain at the heart of this vacillating and rancorous relationship that keeps resonating in Kabul, with Afghan leaders putting the blame of all of their problems on Pakistan. Let us look up a few of such statements which illustrate the deep-rooted mistrust and the propensity among most Afghans to hold Pakistan responsible for all that plays out in their country. Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta, National Security Advisor...
State, Religion and Democracy
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 Center 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. Download
Monthly Report – November 2013
Controversial drone attacks, the raging controversy over them and government fledgling initiative on peace talks with the Taliban dominated the mainstream political discourse during the month of November. It clearly exposed socio-political divisions within the society. The death of the chief of the Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, in a drone attack on November one not only practically scuttled ´ at least temporarily - the government talks initiative but also unleashed a deluge of condemnation of the United States for killing Mehsud at an inappropriate time. Most right-wing parties joined hands in censuring the 'untimely US action' with some even going to the extent of calling Mehsud ´ known for his brutality ´ a martyr. Mehsud killing apart, data collected during November suggests that acts of terrorism, violence and reprisals by religious militant declined in the weeks under discussion. However, sectarian violence continued unabated. CRSS endeavors to make its monthly conflict analysis as informative and credible as possible with the help of open source information, yet statistical errors and omissions remain a possibility. This possibility, however, does not grossly affect the basic objective of this report. This report mainly covers the following topics: Targeted operation in Karachi Declining rate of militancy Sectarian violence Drone attacks The 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 Data compilation by: Fariha Farry NOTE: Readers can approach CRSS for source of any information included in the report. Please send your request to: [mail@crss.pk] OVERVIEW Deaths due to violence in November 2013: A slight rise in the number of casualties was recorded during the month of November. From 568 casualties in October, the figure went up to 640 (320 deaths and 320 injured) in November. This...
Speakers term Investment in education is key to resolve grievances of Baloch people
Investment in education is the only way forward to resolve the grievances of Baloch people. Education not only enables people to secure better economic opportunities but also serves as a medium to get freedom from various kinds of exploitation. The youth of Balochistan should make effective participation in the democratic process and must resort to dialogue to highlight various grievances of the people of the province. The speakers said this at a roundtable ¿Balochistan crisis: challenges and opportunities-Baloch Youth Perspective–, jointly organized by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS and the University of Karachi Monday. During the dialogue, 15 member delegation of Baloch youth, representing various universities of Balochistan their grievances with their counterparts at University of Karachi. Dr Muhammad Qaiser, Vice Chancellor KU, on the occasion said that Balochistan government should enhance its education budget while the provision of financial resources for the province under NFC award, must be ensured. He said that the grievances of shared by Baloch youth are genuine, however, he said, the solution of all these issues could be find through dialogue and by taking active part in democratic process. Dr Muhammad Qaiser appreciated the initiative taken by CRSS and said that this endeavor has provided Baloch youth a platform to interact with students and academia from other parts of the country. He said that such steps are crucial to bridge the gap between the communities. The members of the delegation of Baloch Youth Forum (BYF) presented detail of their concerns and termed lack of educational facilities as one of the prime reason behind the sense of deprivation in the youth. They said that law and order situation in the province is deteriorating further while peaceful solution of the conflict doesn–t seem a consideration of the people sitting at helm of affairs. The members of BYF said that extra judicial killings in the province must be stopped...
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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.