Current Projects

Pakistan's Blasphemy Law and its Consequences

The controversial Blasphemy Law, enacted in its current form during the military dictatorship of General Ziaul Haq in the 1980s, has made big headlines in and outside Pakistan. Oflate, the world came to know about it only when former governor of the Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was gunned down by his guard Mumtaz Qaderi on January 4th, 2011. Qaderi said Taseer, aman of liberal and moderate religious thoughts, had committed blasphemy by visiting a Christian lady Aasia Bibi, convicted to death for blaspheming the Holy Prophet Mohammad. Almost two monthslater, Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for Minorities Affairs, was assassinated on March 2nd in front of his mother's house. His crime; he had been advocating changes to the law of blasphemy to prevent itsabuse by unscrupulous people, particularly in the rural areas. Statistics suggest that people, in order to settle personal scores, to take revenge, or to implicate rivals in crippling litigation, tend to lodgecomplaints againt rivals under the Blasphemy Law. Even otherwise, a number of innocent people have lost their lives under the ruse of having committed blasphemy. A human rights activist, and a CRSS associate, Mohammad Nafees, based in Karachi, has painstakingly compiled statistics on injustices and murders that have been committed under the excuse ofBlasphemy Law. These statistics are quite revealing and instructive and the CRSS is posting them for a wider audience to get a glimpse of the consequences that the Blasphemy Act has entailed. more...

Al Qaeda’s Final Dance: A Deadly Tango for Two

Adding to his last article Why the People of Tunisia and Egypt Confirm the Bankruptcy of Al Qaeda's Tactics, Drs. Peter Knoope further elaborates as to how the citizenries of different Middle Eastern countries are struggling for more freedoms and their democratic rights. Their non-violent political struggle is what is considered the deadly blow to Al Qaeda violent philosophy and strategy for a political change. Eelco Kessles MA also contributed to this interesting article. Drs. Knoope and Kessles are officials of the International Centre for Counter-terrorism, Hague (Netherlands). The popular uprisings in Northern Africa and the Middle East carry a very strong message. They are showing us, professionals involved in the field of counter-terrorism, and our politicians the best way forward in our struggle against political violence. The message is that the best way to take away the support for terrorist actions, and the ideology that fuels them, is supporting socio-political freedom and above all increased political space. The repressive regimes in Northern Africa and beyond have tried, and succeeded, to convince the world that the choice was either supporting their authoritarian rule or to be stuck with the only possible alternative: Islamic fundamentalism. This Islamic fundamentalism is, according to these regimes, either embodied by Al Qaeda, or in the more sophisticated version by the Muslim Brotherhood. In the dictators– discourse, the former would inevitably create a breeding ground for violent jihadism, whilst the latter would attempt a totalitarian takeover via democratic elections of the one-man, one-vote, one-time variety. This narrative is now being shattered by the citizens of the greater Middle East region. The people do not demand a new government based on Sharia, this uprising is not about differing religious interpretations. On the contrary, it is about political space, freedom and ´ yes, the word is out there ´ democracy. Interestingly, Al Qaeda...

Al Qaeda's Final Dance: A Deadly Tango for Two

Adding to his last article Why the People of Tunisia and Egypt Confirm the Bankruptcy of Al Qaeda's Tactics, Drs. Peter Knoope further elaborates as to how the citizenries of different Middle Eastern countries are struggling for more freedoms and their democratic rights. Their non-violent political struggle is what is considered the deadly blow to Al Qaeda violent philosophy and strategy for a political change. Eelco Kessles MA also contributed to this interesting article. Drs. Knoope and Kessles are officials of the International Centre for Counter-terrorism, Hague (Netherlands). The popular uprisings in Northern Africa and the Middle East carry a very strong message. They are showing us, professionals involved in the field of counter-terrorism, and our politicians the best way forward in our struggle against political violence. The message is that the best way to take away the support for terrorist actions, and the ideology that fuels them, is supporting socio-political freedom and above all increased political space. The repressive regimes in Northern Africa and beyond have tried, and succeeded, to convince the world that the choice was either supporting their authoritarian rule or to be stuck with the only possible alternative: Islamic fundamentalism. This Islamic fundamentalism is, according to these regimes, either embodied by Al Qaeda, or in the more sophisticated version by the Muslim Brotherhood. In the dictators– discourse, the former would inevitably create a breeding ground for violent jihadism, whilst the latter would attempt a totalitarian takeover via democratic elections of the one-man, one-vote, one-time variety. This narrative is now being shattered by the citizens of the greater Middle East region. The people do not demand a new government based on Sharia, this uprising is not about differing religious interpretations. On the contrary, it is about political space, freedom and ´ yes, the word is out there ´ democracy. Interestingly, Al Qaeda...

CRSS Condemns Minister’s Murder

The brutal and cold-blooded assassination Tuesday morning of Pakistan's Christian minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti by rabid armed militants - masquerading as Taliban and Al Qaeda followers - has stunned almost every body and sent shock waves across the country. This is the second high-profile murder after the January 4 assassination of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer by his own guard in capital Islamabad. Both Taseer and Bhatti have been in the forefront of a campaign aimed at amending the country Blasphemy Law, enshrined in the federal constitution as Article 295. Its clause 'C' proscribes death for desecration of the Holy Quran or insulting the Prophet Mohammad. Though Bhatti toned down his campaign for changing the law in the aftermath of Governor Taseer assassination, he continued to receive anonymous threats by purported Taliban, asking him to refrain from speaking about the Blasphemy Law, which former dictator General Ziaul Haq had reinforced in the late 1980s by inserting the death penalty for the offenders. A pamphlet dropped at the residence of the former minorities– minister by Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan [TTP] Punjab reads as ¿the same is the fate of the one who commits blasphemy–. Reports compiled by civil society members, including a Karachi-based activist Nafees Mohammad say that a total of 34 people have been killed extra-judicially in Pakistan during 1990-2010 following charges of blasphemy. These include 15 Muslims, 16 Christians, two Ahmadis and one Hindu. Giving the latest of the blasphemy-related incidents in the country, Mohammad says as that as many as 10 persons have been charged under the blasphemy law during the first two months of 2011 alone. Quoting reports in the daily Dawn, Mohammad said about 35 blasphemy cases were reported during 2010 in Southern Punjab alone, where most radical Islamist groups are based. Southern Punjab is a predominantly rural, tribal and backward region where 42 million of Pakistan roughly 180...

CRSS Condemns Minister's Murder

The brutal and cold-blooded assassination Tuesday morning of Pakistan's Christian minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti by rabid armed militants - masquerading as Taliban and Al Qaeda followers - has stunned almost every body and sent shock waves across the country. This is the second high-profile murder after the January 4 assassination of former Punjab Governor Salman Taseer by his own guard in capital Islamabad. Both Taseer and Bhatti have been in the forefront of a campaign aimed at amending the country Blasphemy Law, enshrined in the federal constitution as Article 295. Its clause 'C' proscribes death for desecration of the Holy Quran or insulting the Prophet Mohammad. Though Bhatti toned down his campaign for changing the law in the aftermath of Governor Taseer assassination, he continued to receive anonymous threats by purported Taliban, asking him to refrain from speaking about the Blasphemy Law, which former dictator General Ziaul Haq had reinforced in the late 1980s by inserting the death penalty for the offenders. A pamphlet dropped at the residence of the former minorities– minister by Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan [TTP] Punjab reads as ¿the same is the fate of the one who commits blasphemy–. Reports compiled by civil society members, including a Karachi-based activist Nafees Mohammad say that a total of 34 people have been killed extra-judicially in Pakistan during 1990-2010 following charges of blasphemy. These include 15 Muslims, 16 Christians, two Ahmadis and one Hindu. Giving the latest of the blasphemy-related incidents in the country, Mohammad says as that as many as 10 persons have been charged under the blasphemy law during the first two months of 2011 alone. Quoting reports in the daily Dawn, Mohammad said about 35 blasphemy cases were reported during 2010 in Southern Punjab alone, where most radical Islamist groups are based. Southern Punjab is a predominantly rural, tribal and backward region where 42 million of Pakistan roughly 180...

CRSS Launches Research Reports

Pakistan SecurityChallenges Afghan Jihad & Emergence of Transnational Networks As a follow-up of its activities in 2010, the CRSS has published four research reports that deal with some of the most pressing contemporary issues facing Pakistan. One report lists the causes that impede stability of Pakistan and have been at the heart of the country's continuous crisis of governance and instability. The second looks at the crisis in the troubled province of Balochistan. The third report offers a brief overview of the socio-political dynamics of Pakistan's largest city ´ Karachi ´ on the Arabian sea. The fourth report traces the evolution of Afghan jihadist forces into trans-national Islamist networks, led and inspired by Al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood. These reports are an attempt to provide readers interested in the subject with an insight into the inter-play among various socio-political stakeholders in the society. As far as the 'Causes of Instability in Pakistan' is concerned, it lists several factors - the most important structural and triggering causes - that underlie Pakistan's continuous political turmoil and the economic crisis, accentuated by the questionable war against terrorism that was unleashed almost a decade ago. This report draws a distinction between 'structural' and 'trigger' causes of instability. Based on a wide range of interviews with important stake-holders across the social, political, economic and military spectrum, the Centre was able to pinpoint the Objectives' Resolution, the unbalanced civil-military relations, absence of good governance, inter-provincial disharmony, the armed forces' predominance of foreign policy, the country's geography, the vague status of FATA, as some of the structural causes of instability. On the other hand, some of the events of international dimensions such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the post 9/11 war on terror, Pakistani military operations in the FATA and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa regions, the...

Why the People of Tunisia and Egypt Confirm the Bankruptcy of Al Qaeda’s Tactics

Director of International Centre for Counter-terrorism, Hague (Netherlands), Drs. Peter Knoope and Anno Bunnik present an interesting insight into the recent political upheavals in Tunisia and Egypt and how it offers a strong political and social counter-narrative of Al Qaeda ideology. Center for Research and Security Studies, Islamabad, is honored to carry their analysis with a view to offer a discourse on issues of global importance. As developments unfold in the Arab World, first and foremost in Egypt and Tunisia, there is one profound conclusion missing in most of the news reports and expert opinions analyzing the political, social and/or historical reasons for and consequences of the events; the popular revolts demonstrate to the world the bankruptcy of Al Qaeda strategy and tactics. They show that AQ and related groups have failed to come up with effective strategies to channel popular frustrations and grievances and become part of the solution instead of the existing problems. What happens at present is a popular and almost spontaneous ´ though not unexpected ´ revolt against the oppressive regimes in a number of the Middle Eastern countries; regimes that have been criticized for their repressive nature for a long time and by many. First and foremost by violent Islamist groups such as AQ and regional affiliates like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP); they consider these corrupt oppressive regimes as the ¿near enemy–, declaring them, based on a distorted fundamentalist interpretation of religious teaching, justified targets of Islamic militancy. Jihad is the only solution. But despite the destructive words and actions by AQ and likeminded organizations aimed at this near-enemy, they have not had the strength nor the inspirational doctrine to mobilize the masses or to bring about a substantial public revolt that truly threatens the position of these suppressive regimes. What these violent Islamist...

Why the People of Tunisia and Egypt Confirm the Bankruptcy of Al Qaeda's Tactics

Director of International Centre for Counter-terrorism, Hague (Netherlands), Drs. Peter Knoope and Anno Bunnik present an interesting insight into the recent political upheavals in Tunisia and Egypt and how it offers a strong political and social counter-narrative of Al Qaeda ideology. Center for Research and Security Studies, Islamabad, is honored to carry their analysis with a view to offer a discourse on issues of global importance. As developments unfold in the Arab World, first and foremost in Egypt and Tunisia, there is one profound conclusion missing in most of the news reports and expert opinions analyzing the political, social and/or historical reasons for and consequences of the events; the popular revolts demonstrate to the world the bankruptcy of Al Qaeda strategy and tactics. They show that AQ and related groups have failed to come up with effective strategies to channel popular frustrations and grievances and become part of the solution instead of the existing problems. What happens at present is a popular and almost spontaneous ´ though not unexpected ´ revolt against the oppressive regimes in a number of the Middle Eastern countries; regimes that have been criticized for their repressive nature for a long time and by many. First and foremost by violent Islamist groups such as AQ and regional affiliates like Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP); they consider these corrupt oppressive regimes as the ¿near enemy–, declaring them, based on a distorted fundamentalist interpretation of religious teaching, justified targets of Islamic militancy. Jihad is the only solution. But despite the destructive words and actions by AQ and likeminded organizations aimed at this near-enemy, they have not had the strength nor the inspirational doctrine to mobilize the masses or to bring about a substantial public revolt that truly threatens the position of these suppressive regimes. What these violent Islamist...

Inauguration of a clean drinking water facility at Faqeerabad in Charsadda district.

With the financial assistance of theRoyalEmbassy of Netherlands, the Centre for Research and Security Studies completed the boring of 20 water wells in Charsadda and Nowshehra, the worst affected districts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province by the super floods of summer 2010. Ahmed Dadou of the Netherlands Embassy (in black suit) and the CRSS team led by Executive Director Imtiaz Gul participated in the inauguration ceremony and shared moments of happiness with the residents of Faqeerabad village. Sajjad Khan, the assistant district officer Education, and Fazal Malik, acommunity notable thanked the EmbassyofNetherlands forfinancing theboringofthe wells down to 100 feet for clean and contamination-free water. Theyhoped this water facility will help in protecting the villagers from variouswater borndeadly diseasesuch ashepatitisandgastro-intestinal ailments.

Pakistan Explains its Position on Afghanistan to VP Biden

Where does the Afghan peace process stand right now? It probably stands in a no-man land from where many roads (options) lead out but the US seems to hold the ticket to those roads. The current and most preferred of the options is an all-out assault on Afghan insurgents to cripple them. This will, so believes Gen. David Petraeus force them into talks. The Petraeus calculus essentially rests on paralyzing the insurgents through brute force. Vice president Joseph Biden statements in Kabul and Islamabad, however, appears to be a mix of American civil-military approach; The U.S. will not leave Afghanistan completely in 2014 if Afghans still want the U.S. there, said Biden who has generally favored a less troop-intensive approach and a quicker handover to Afghans. In a marked departure from the Bush-era Pentagon approach, Biden declared that 'It's not our intention to govern or to nation-build -- this is the responsibility of the Afghan people.' But Biden did, however, share the Pakistan-centric belief of Petraeus. 'It's going to require more pressure -- more pressure on the Taliban, from Pakistan's side of the border, than we've been -- we've been able to exert so far. And there are many hard days that lie ahead,' Biden said in Kabul. This statement underscored the message Biden brought for Pakistani leaders, including the army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, which was the most strategic in nature, and focused on the impending 'hard days ahead'. Reportedly, the vice president came loaded with lots of carrots and an invisible stick. His visit also underscored its resolve and exposed its desperation, for the phased withdrawal from Afghanistan beginning July. Background interviews with highly placed Pakistani officials suggest that Joe Biden, former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani and the acting US AfPak envoy Frank Ruggiero (both of whom, too, were in Islamabad late last week) were told that the key to the Afghan reconciliation rested with the Afghan stake-holders and...