The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) organized a two-day workshop in the University of Turbat and Gwadar campus on October 11 and 12, 2021 respectively. Thirty students, senior faculty members of the university, and representatives from local media were among the participants. The main purpose of this workshop was to enhance the ability of the students to understand the importance of media ethics, critical thinking, and fake news. Gohram Baloch, a freelance journalist from Balochistan, representing CRSS started the proceedings by presenting a welcome note and introduced the guests to the participants. Senior journalists and media experts; Tahir Javed Rathore, Shehzada Zulfiqar, and Mansoor Ahmed were amongst the trainers for this workshop. The inaugural address of the workshop was delivered by Dr. Abdul Saboor Baloch, Dean of Faculty of Languages and Humanities, and Jamil Baloch, Chairman, Departbment of Politics. The workshop comprised of two sessions, Critical Thinking and Fake News. Addressing the workshop in University of Turbat, both Tahir Javed and Shehzada Zulfiqar shared their experiences and stressed on examining things critically and emphasized on knowing the significance of understanding their responsibilities as a responsible citizen. The current cycle of breaking news and ratings along with negative news is spreading rapidly and attempts are being made to mislead the public, Rathore stated while talking about fake news. He further added that being responsible journalists, it is our duty to highlight misleading content and discourage the idea of spreading irrelevant information. Tahir, further added that the vision of CRSS is to promote the youth by providing them with a platform where they can analyze things from their own perspective, and on the basis of their analysis their work can get recognition from the top-level. All the stakeholders should be taken into consideration before enacting legislation to curb fake news legally. In the...

University students representing every corner of Pakistan displayed incredible courage in taking the stage, some for the first time, in the second Annual Declamation Challenge, organized by The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in Islamabad. The students hailed from public sector universities in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the rest of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and the Islamabad Capital Territory. The three day event was organized and hosted by CRSS to foster the spirit of competition in Pakistan’s youth. The event is the culmination of a six year effort by the Center to promote critical thinking and challenge preconceived notions and narratives. For this purpose, CRSS partnered with nearly 100 public sector universities across Pakistan, offering free training programs to thousands of teachers, students, and university administration. The declamation competition was held between 48 participants from every corner of Pakistan. After one round of speeches on carefully curated topics that would spark healthy debate and discourse, 12 of the initial 48 were selected for a final round. On the last day of the competition, these 12 gave new speeches, and a new batch of judges gauged their performance. In the end, the third place was jointly secured by Tayeba Nawaz, University of Hazara, Mansehra and Nayab Batool, Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, Quetta. The second place was achieved by Adila Batool, Balochistan University of IT, Engineering and Management Sciences, Quetta. Finally, the winner of the final round was Taimoor Riaz, hailing from the University of Haripur. The finalists were awarded prizes and trophies, and all participants were given certificates for being a part of the competition. Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director CRSS said 5that he hoped the activity helped catalyze curiosity and critical thinking in the youth, and that they apply the lessons learned in their daily...

Just two days ago, the Afghan Taliban regained control of Afghanistan after 20 years. The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country with some of his acquaintances. The Taliban took over the presidential palace without any bloodshed or unrest and have gained strong control of the whole country. Pakistan is Afghanistan’s closest neighbor and business partner, not only facilitating transit trade activities via Afghanistan, but also valuing ​​bilateral trade with Afghanistan. Keeping in mind the significance of this border movement and trade, CRSS team visited the most famous, busy, and important border crossing area between Afghanistan and Pakistan i.e., Torkham, on August 18,2021   and engaged in a meaningful conversation with the representatives of the Khyber Chamber of Commerce, Transport Association, Customs Clearing Agents, association drivers, market union officials and senior journalists. Below is the summary of these conversations and questions and answers. Customs Clearing Agents and Transport Association officials agreed that although a formal Taliban government has not yet been established in Afghanistan, despite them having taken control of the border areas, including the presidential palace. But the Taliban's desire to keep the trade going and keeping the country afloat can be gauged from the fact that within few hours of the former Afghan government's border staff fleeing, and Taliban representatives taking over the border crossing points, the movement and transport of trade goods across the border was restored. Taliban’s efforts to boost the trade process and to remove the stringent bureaucratic border hindrances can be observed from the fact that, before Taliban’s control, the border staff allowed less than a hundred food and vegetable trucks towards Pakistan and less than two hundred in Afghanistan. However, as soon as the Taliban took control of the border security, they allowed 270 stranded Afghan trade vehicles into Pakistan. Moreover,...