Current Projects
Displaced Afghans Long For Peace And Stability Amidst Volatile Times
Dr. Nasir Ahmad, an ophthalmologist hailing from Kabul, recalls his journey from Kabul to Islamabad after the Taliban takeover, “The border (Torkham) was in chaos… People had to wait for hours to cross. It was absolute mayhem!” Nasir had to flee Kabul along with his children and his ailing wife. After a massive toil, the family managed to rent a portion in the Pakistani capital. Having no means of livelihood in Islamabad amidst rising inflation, they find it hard to make both ends meet. “It is unfortunate that in these testing times, instead of easing the situation of Afghans on the move, more and more hindrances are created to delay the process of renting a house, granting/extending visas, etc.” Dr. Nasir further says that he understands that delays in visa issuance or extension happen because Pakistan is already dealing with such cases in ample amounts, but much is required to alleviate the miseries of Afghans and the world has to look at them with empathetic eyes. Many Afghans, crème de la crème, have sought refuge in other countries in pursuit of a better life. Distressed with the loss of skilled and intellectual personnel, Dr. Nasir said that it is a grave concern for the country already undergoing a social and political upheaval. “What would an eye specialist like me do in Kabul right now when nothing is certain and the future of my children is at stake? The healthcare workers who are currently in Afghanistan certainly do not have enough resources to treat their patients, government hospitals do not have sufficient medical aid, and with the current situation of Omicron spreading widely, this could get worse. I hope the international community will do more to help us combat this crisis.” he said. Like many others, Dr. Nasir believes that the current Afghan government will have to be pragmatic, discourage corruption, and pay heed to the vexing issues. “The only way Taliban can get recognised internationally is by showing some flexible approach, i.e....
Pakistan’s Public Procurement Regime
Saddam Hussein and Mohammad Shaaf Najib* Why Study Public Procurement Regimes? Governments across the globe are spending a significant portion of their budgets on procurement. Public procurement spending is estimated to account for 15% of the world's GDP. This is predominantly visible in developing countries with active infrastructure and social programs. Any attempt, therefore, to bring fiscal discipline by efficient allocation of resources and then pragmatically spending must consider procurement to be a fundamental part. Gains of a good public procurement framework make available additional resources for development and lead to better outcomes of expenditure by assigning the tasks to the best possible service provider. This eventually has a positive bearing on service delivery. Empirical evidence supports that procurement reforms improve spending efficiency by 1% of GDP. This means that this saving could be diverted to other pressing sectors like education, health, and municipal services. Thus, effective public procurement systems can help governments see better value for money, reduce pressure on public budgets, and leave agencies better prepared to invite private investments. Public funds are scarce and governments must invest with intention. Improving public procurement systems contributes to a vibrant private sector, helps governments get the most out of their investments, and supports growth. Background Historically, public procurement in Pakistan was traditionally regulated by three primary instruments as follows: The Purchase Manual of the defunct Department of Supplies and Disposal, which generally covered the purchase of commodities The West Pakistan Building and Roads Department Code which governs the construction of buildings and roads and the hiring of consultants for this purpose The General Financial Rules of the Federal Government and the delegation of financial power rules In the late 1990s, however, public procurement was now seen as a critical...
Zehra Zaidi Research Fellow and Program Coordinator Zehra Zaidi works as a Research Fellow and Program Coordinator at CRSS, where she is currently working on a project on Pak-Afghan Regional Stability. Previously, she contributed to a research project, “Assessment of health-seeking behaviour,” which primarily focused on vaccine refusal and health-seeking behaviour of target communities across Pakistan. Additionally, she has worked at CRSS’s Pakistan Center of Excellence (PACE), a project countering violent extremism. Zehra is an MPhil graduate in International Development Studies. Prior to CRSS, she has worked for IMC Worldwide and Rozan. At CRSS, she oversees the planning and coordination of field research activities while creating and maintaining field reports, progress reports, project documentation, and additional research-related assignments. She is deeply passionate about working for the marginalized segments of society and broadening her horizon in the field of research.
Elsa Imdad Hussain Project Coordinator Elsa Imdad works as Project Coordinator, Beyond Boundaries, a unique Pakistan-Afghanistan Track 1.5/ II initiative to help improve relations between the two countries and enhance people-to-people contacts. Apart from this, she manages the Afghan Studies Center at CRSS and contributes to the political section of Matrix magazine. Elsa has previously been part of the American Spaces in Pakistan as a Project Coordinator, Lincoln Corner Hyderabad. She also served as an English lecturer at Sukkur IBA University for a year. She has performed duties as a research associate in an ethnographic study by UNICEF titled "Improving Adolescents' Lives in South Asia". Elsa holds a bachelors in modern languages with an English major and Spanish minor. She attended Wilson College, PA, as a Global UGRAD cultural exchange student in the fall of 2014. Also, she has been part of South Asian youth fraternities and dialogues and represented Pakistan on different international platforms. Elsa's research interests include peace and conflict resolution, global politics, public and cultural diplomacy, capacity building of marginalized groups, etc. Currently, she is also serving as President of the Pak-US Alumni Network Jamshoro Chapter.
CRSS Annual Security Report 2021-Executive Summary
After consistent decline since 2015, violence in Pakistan increases by an alarming 42% in 2021 Violence related casualties in Pakistan declined at a steady rate since 2015, plateaued somewhat in the year prior, but seem to have accelerated dramatically this year again. With an increase of roughly 42% in 2021, Pakistan suffered 853 fatalities (up from 600 last year), and 1,690 injuries, directly linked to violence-related incidents. Nearly 75% of all violence-related fatalities were recorded from two provinces – KP (including FATA) and Balochistan. Of the total fatalities from violence in the country, Punjab province accounted for 8%, followed by Sindh (tables 1 and 2). Compared to the last year’s fatalities, all regions except ICT and GB suffered an exponential surge in violence with Balochistan accounting for a net 80% increase in violence-related fatalities (table 02). Commensurately, both security operations and terror attacks increased this year. A total of 146 security operations were carried out during this year leaving 298 outlaws dead – a rise of more than 40% against the last year’s figures. In contrast, there were 403 terror attacks compared to last year’s 260 attacks (table 3). Four suicide attacks took place this year that left 20 persons dead as compared to two suicide attacks in last year that took 10 lives (table 03). An alarming upsurge of over 41% was observed this year in the fatalities of security personnel. Last year, there was a decline of 18% in security personnel’s fatalities. Outlaws (including militants, insurgents, and criminals) suffered a 26.5% increase in fatalities while the civilians accounted for the largest number of the victims of violence. As a whole, the combined losses of civilian and security personnel’s lives were 74% of the total fatalities while the outlaws, the main perpetrators of violence, had suffered one fourth of the total fatalities – a rise of militancy that can be attributed to the success of the Taliban in Afghan...
Job Announcement – Program Coordinator CRSS
The ideal candidate will have a range of experience in planning and coordination of a program and its activities, ensuring implementation of policies and practices, communications skills, be a natural problem solver, and be exceptional with time management. The Program Coordinator will spend a considerable amount of time in planning project activities with the team and coordinating with participants, media partners and other relevant stakeholders to be in line with project deliverables and ensure that they are operating well within the established timelines and log frames. Minimum qualifications: At least 03 years of experience working the development sector, in the areas of program coordination, journalism, social sciences, research, or writing. At least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field Previous writing experience, English language; excellent command of the English is a must. Previous experience with media outlets will be an asset. Detail oriented, meticulous, and disciplined Ability to think analytically and visually. Job Description: Coordinate the implementation of the project with agreed timelines and quality assurance. Ensure all coordination, logistics, guest arrangements, reports/ TV Shows Shoot Plan, and partner liaising within the strategic communications component of the project. Support effective operational management for the programme. Conduct desktop research, and using books, journal articles, newspaper sources, questionnaires, surveys, polls, and interviews to gather data, where needed. Ensure regular support and close interaction with all partners. Work with team to implement project activities appropriately and as per schedules. Develop systems and maintain records for the proper evaluation, control, and documentation of assigned activities. Ensure that key reports are delivered to agreed deadlines and budgets, to the highest standards. Maintain and protect electronic databases related to this endeavor. Anticipate research issues...
On-Ground Situation of Pak-Afghan Bilateral Trade
Pakistan is the biggest trade partner of Afghanistan and thus has provided significant indirect support to the struggling Afghan economy after the regime change. Though the actual trade potential between the two countries is much higher than its current value, it cannot be manifested fully due to infrastructural and bureaucratic hindrances on both sides. What is the on-ground situation of Pak-Afghan bilateral trade? https://youtu.be/szYofn8wcXU
Pakistan Government’s narrative on Afghan Refugee Influx
With the change of regime in Afghanistan, thousands of people have been internally displaced in Afghanistan and are expected to leave the country fearing more violence, which means Pakistan can expect a refugee influx in the near future. Is Pakistan ready to accept more refugees? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRdiacgZNQU
Participants’ Feedback – Seminar on ‘Fake News and Critical Thinking’ at University of Gwadar/Turbat Campus
On 12th October, 2021 CRSS held a session at University of Gwadar on critical thinking and fake news where the students, along with faculty members, were apprised about media ethics and its applications in this digital and technical world. Critical thinking is a pivotal aspect in problem solving and acts as a universal remedy for any unfathomable obstacle. Critical thinking helps us in making better decisions. There’s no doubt about the fact that critical thinkers make the best choices. Critical thinking helps us deal with everyday problems as they come our way, and very often this thought process is even done subconsciously. It helps us think independently and trust our gut feeling. Critical thinking is one of the most desirable skills, as it helps us analyze information and think out of the box. It can solve any clustered problem with innovative solutions and a systematic plan. The second session was about fake news, it had a great impact on our thinking about fake news. False information means creation of news, stories, or hoaxes to deliberately misinform or deceive readers. Usually, these stories are created to either influence people’s views, push a political agenda or cause confusion. The seminar educated us on the use critical thinking in identifying fake news. CRSS’ sessions on cognitive development, conceptual learning, and community development have great implications on teaching and learning of the students and faculty members of the Gwadar Campus. The session discerned that curriculum and textbooks do not properly distinguish Islamic education, citizenship and civic education. Similarly, the teaching and learning practices do not produce critical thinkers, who develop their social consciousness to the extent that they become the agents of social change. Where there is a lack of shared understanding about the citizenship education and being critical. The session encouraged students to have a clear background about these matter of concerns in...
CRSS held webinar on ‘Content Writing Made Easy: Skills and Tools Essential to Earn from Home
CRSS, under its program women arranged a webinar themed ‘Content Writing Made Easy: Skills and Tools Essential to Earn from Home’ on November 18, 2021 on Zoom. The event was attended by youth from all socio-economic groups from across the country. Ms. Sharoon Shahid, a content and copy writer, was invited as the keynote speaker to apprise the audience about the skills and tools required to ace the freelancing sector. In addition to the keynote address, the speaker answered numerous questions raised by the audience and explained the dos and don’ts of freelancing with them. While speaking at the webinar, Ms. Sharoon highlighted the significance and convenience of working from the comfort of one’s home and encouraged the participants to invest time, energy, and resources into developing the habit of writing, as it can help one in acing one of the most popular economic domain. The session proved to be a success, as CRSS received excellent feedback from the listeners. The series will be continued in the months to come.
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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.