Current Projects
CRSS Roundtable with Turk MP Kayaturk
Burhan Kayaturk , eminent member of the Turkish Parliament, and the President of Turkey-Pakistan Friendship and Cultural Association, says Turkey is always willing to help Pakistan in any possible way. Mr. Kayaturk, decorated with Pakistan 'Nishan-e-Imtiaz' civilian award in Islamabad on March 23, expressed these thoughts in a round-table discussion with distinguished Pakistani analysts and academics at the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad. Mr. Kayaturk underlined the need for greater interaction between people from both countries which he said 'can benefit the entire region'. Mr. Kayaturk, an engineer by profession, is a well-known figure in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Afghanistan for his work on several projects in the region. He represents the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party in the Turkish Parliament. Former ambassadors Arif Ayub and Ayaz Wazir, former Air Vice-Marshal Shahzad Chaudhry, Assistant Professor at Quaid-i-Azam University Salma Malik and CRSS Executive Director Imtiaz Gul, were among the round-table on Pakistan's current situation and its relations with neighboring countries.
Weekly Data Sheet (March 16-22, 2012)
Pakistan Conflict Tracker Weekly Report (Mar.16-22, 2012)
Violence across Pakistan subsided during the current week in comparison to the previous two weeks. As data collected through different sources suggests that 107 persons lost their lives in 60 episodes of violence, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and tribal regions. During the violent clashes 51 people also got injured across the country. (See data sheet) In total 60 violent attacks were reported during the week in different areas of the country. During the course of the week nine military vs. militants– clashes resulted in the killing of 36 militants, while one security person also got killed. As a whole, 48 militants were killed in different circumstances. Meanwhile, 52 civilians also perished during different episodes of violence and the major loss of civilian lives was recorded in the form of recovery of dead bodies in Khyber Agency (FATA). As in Khyber Agency a fierce battle for control is under way between Lashkar-i-Islam militants and pro-government tribal lashkar (force), backed by the security forces. Unlike the past week, when the scores of militants were killed in CIA operated drone attacks, no such strike was reported during the week. CIA operated drones struck thrice and killed 33 militants in different parts of North and South Waziristan. Furthermore, militants fighting against state and security forces in KP and tribal region continued their fierce sabotage campaign to demolish state infrastructure and blew up nine schools in different areas. As in case of previous two weeks, during the current week, again ongoing military operations against militants in KP and FATA resulted in the majority of causalities. Figures in the above chart depict that almost one third of the total dead persons during the week were killed as a result of frequent clashes between militants and security forces, especially in KP and FATA regions. Mapping the territory of violence, one finds that target killing was the instrument of choice for the militants to inflict violence...
Militants Take out another Police Officer
The latest target-assassination in a suicide bombing of a senior police official in Peshawar on Thursday, yet again underscores the threat that the Pakistani security apparatus continues to face. Kalam Khan, a daring and prominent police commander led several anti-Taliban operations in the troubled northwestern Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province, died on the spot. Eyewitness said the bomber walked across the roadto get close enough to the vehicle before triggering his device. Officials said Khan had been receiving death threats for his role in the anti-militant operations. The killing is the latest in the attacks in Peshawar in the past two months after a long lull, and is also the latest in the string of strikes targeting senior police and security officials ´ more than 700 since the Islamist militants began reacting to the government crackdown on various groups nestled in the region in the last five years. In August 2010, one of the top three senior police officials of the province, Sifwat Ghayur became the victim of a suicide bombing while returning home from duty in Peshawar city. Earlier in January, 2007, the Peshawar city police chief, Malik Saad was among the victims of a deadly suicide bombing that took at least 30 lives. Similarly, Deputy Inspector General Abid Khan, and the district police officer in the southern district Bannu, Iqbal Khan have also been among those senior police officials who were either the direct or indirect targets of the suicide bombings, usually claimed by the vicious, Al-Qaeda linked Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ´ also called Al-Qaeda Force Multiplier. TTP has also been targeting members or heads of the community police ´ Lashkars that were formed with the support of the government to head off the militant threat in the suburban areas of Peshawar, the capital of the KP province. A suicide bomber mowed down 17 mourners early this week on the outskirts of Peshawar, when he blew himself up during the funeral of the wife of a Lashkar...
Timeline of Violent Incidents
Date Incidents Newspaper 1st March Abdul Waheed Baloch, the younger brother of a Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader, and his companion, fired upon by unknown armed men succumbed to their injuries at the spot, in Khuzdar district of Balochistan. The News Three separate incidents of firing left two people dead in Quetta and another injured in Mastung district of Balochistan. Dawn A bullet riddled body was found by Levies Force Personnel from Dasht area of Mastung district, Balochistan. The News Unidentified men kidnapped five officials of governor development programme of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), along with the official car in Pir Tangi area, some 40 kilometers from Tank city. The Express Tribune The sub campus of Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) was blown up by unidentified militants, at Palosa area, Charsadda (KP), damaging the building badly. Frontier Post A pick-up vehicle, carrying the family of a tribesman identified as Mohammad Wisal, hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near Qamarabad, Barra tehsil of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), killing two women on the spot while seven other family members, including two children were critically injured. Frontier Post A mortar shell fired by a rival group on the house of local militant commander, Salamat, injured eight persons including women and children in Sturikhel area of Khyber Agency (FATA). The News Two paramedical staff members, Issac Simson and Indrias Javed ´ both Pakistani national, of a South Korean NGO funded hospital were abducted by unknown gunmen, in Orangi town, Karachi (Sindh), while they were on their way to hospital. Dawn The members of Qaumi Lashkar, an anti-militant body, were attacked in Matani area of Peshawar,by militants from Darra Adamkhel, killing Mohammad Ali ´ identified as a nephew of former nazim of Adezai, at the spot. Daily Times Militants blew up girls–primary school, by planting explosives at the structure of the school, in Sro...
Pakistan Conflict Tracker Weekly Report (Mar.9-15, 2012)
The violence peaked during the current week in comparison to the previous one. The data collected through different sources suggest that 215 persons lost their lives across the country in different episodes of violence resulting out of, most of the times, frequent clashes between militants and security forces. During these clashes, 124 people also got injured. (See data sheet) In total, 55 violent attacks were reported during the week in different areas of the country and most of these attacks were reported in the militancy infested Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). During the course of week nine military vs. militant clashes resulted in the killing of 94 militants, while 11 security personnel also lost their lives. Meanwhile, 60 civilians perished during different episodes of violence and the major loss of civilian lives was witnessed during a suicide blast in KP, targeting deputy speaker of the provincial assembly. Unlike the preceding week, CIA operated drones struck thrice and killed 33 militants in different parts of North and South Waziristan. Furthermore, militants fighting against state and security forces in KP and tribal region blew up two schools in different areas as part of their sabotage campaign to dismantle state infrastructure. Analyzing the chart, one finds that ongoing military operations against militants in KP, Balochistan and FATA resulted in the majority of causalities. Figures in the above chart show that almost half of the total deaths during the week were reported as a result of frequent clashes between militants and security forces, especially in KP and FATA regions. Meanwhile, five dead bodies were also recovered from different parts of the country and four of these were of civilians. Looking at the tactics of the militants employed to project violence; one finds that militants banked on hit and run strategy most of the times during the reported period, as the pie chart above shows that the...
Weekly Data Sheet (Mar.9-15, 2012)
Weekly Timeline of Violent Incidents (March 1-8, 2012)
Date Incidents Newspaper 1st March Abdul Waheed Baloch, the younger brother of a Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader, and his companion, fired upon by unknown armed men succumbed to their injuries at the spot, in Khuzdar district of Balochistan. The News Three separate incidents of firing left two people dead in Quetta and another injured in Mastung district of Balochistan. Dawn A bullet riddled body was found by Levies Force Personnel from Dasht area of Mastung district, Balochistan. The News Unidentified men kidnapped five officials of governor development programme of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), along with the official car in Pir Tangi area, some 40 kilometers from Tank city. The Express Tribune The sub campus of Abdul Wali Khan University (AWKU) was blown up by unidentified militants, at Palosa area, Charsadda (KP), damaging the building badly. Frontier Post A pick-up vehicle, carrying the family of a tribesman identified as Mohammad Wisal, hit an improvised explosive device (IED) near Qamarabad, Barra tehsil of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), killing two women on the spot while seven other family members, including two children were critically injured. Frontier Post A mortar shell fired by a rival group on the house of local militant commander, Salamat, injured eight persons including women and children in Sturikhel area of Khyber Agency (FATA). The News Two paramedical staff members, Issac Simson and Indrias Javed ´ both Pakistani national, of a South Korean NGO funded hospital were abducted by unknown gunmen, in Orangi town, Karachi (Sindh), while they were on their way to hospital. Dawn The members of Qaumi Lashkar, an anti-militant body, were attacked in Matani area of Peshawar, by militants from Darra Adamkhel, killing Mohammad Ali ´ identified as a nephew of former nazim of Adezai, at the spot. Daily Times Militants blew up girls– primary school, by planting explosives at the structure of the school, in Sro Killay area of Charsadda...
Militants Continue to Pile Misery on Pakistan
Pakistan currently seems to be going through a refreshed wave of militancy highlighted by two major militant attacks during past two days killing 19 people. Sectarian killing is now the chief source of terrorism in the country with majority of the attacks, from 2011 till March 2012, were carried out on Shia - the minority Muslim sect- of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas- FATA. These attacks on Shia have become a major concern for the country as the security agencies have so far failed to curb the militant groups behind such attacks. In the most recent sectarian attack, on March 12, 2012, a bus en-route to Parachinar ´ a Shia town ´ via Peshawar was targeted allegedly by a banned sectarian outfit through an improvised explosive device (IED) that left two people dead and 20 injured. [1] One of the dead, Mr Jaffar Hussian, was father of a CRSS research associate, Ms. Nabila Jaffar. In another incident, on March 11 2010, a funeral gathering was targeted that left as many as 17 dead, near the outskirts of Peshawar in the militant infested KP region. The prime target of militants in the attacks was apparently the deputy speaker of the provincial assembly, Khushdil Khan belonging the ruling Awami National Party, and some members of the Tribal Laskhar (the local anti-militant force). A year ago, on March 9, a similar attack took place on a funeral when a suicide bomber blew himself up targeting members of the Laskhar and their relatives, killing 37 and injuring dozens[2]. It was the funeral of wife of a Lashkar member, Wakeel Khan, who was also related to the Lashkar chief, Dilawar Khan. Tekhrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) appears to be behind all the above mentioned three attacks, and a recent sectarian attack on a bus carrying Shia people in Kohistan, killing 18 people [3]. The TTP has largely been responsible for major terrorist attacks in KP and FATA where as the LeJ targeted Shia...
Weekly Data Sheet (March 1-8, 2012)
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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.