Current Projects
Ulasi Taroon Online Workshops Continue to Empower Youth During Pandemic
The third and fourth rounds of Ulasi Taroon Online Workshops discussed the topics of Rule of Law and Interfaith Harmony, respectively, with around 40 youth leaders from different public and private sector universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The events were held as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) efforts to continue to cultivate the young through online conduits for communication, in the absence of physical platforms of youth engagement and development. The third round discussed the challenges of rule of law especially during the COVID-19 times and the role of youth as responsible citizens and the hope of the nation. Mr. Waqar Ahmad Kharal, SSP Operations, Mardan, said that the concept of rule of law - since its inception - has underscored that everyone is subject to law no matter how powerful, an idea that underpins equality and indiscriminate accountability in the society. Discussing the fundamental principles of rule of law, Mr. Kharral said that equality before the law is most essential prerequisite for rule of law and the law should be implemented across the board. We can’t expect rule of law to prevail in a country where there is no equality before the law and citizen’s equal entitlement to social, political and economic rights and opportunities. The public participation in the decision-making processes is another essentiality for rule of law as it develops the public trust in government, enhances public accountability and leads to transparent and inclusive decision making. Access to justice is also one of the basic principles of the rule of law. The citizens’ voices, rights and inclusion suffer the most in the absence of accessible justice. Rule of law requires the right of equal access to justice for all and transparent, non-discriminatory and accountable services. Propagating knowledge and information about the citizen’s constitutional rights also improves their access to justice as empowered citizens and ultimately...
Devising Digital Strategies For Young Entrepreneurs Amid And Post COVID-19 Pandemic
As part of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) ongoing Pak-Afghan Trade and Economic Connectivity initiative since 2017 which is aimed at improving business cooperation and exploring ways of developing partnerships and joint ventures, CRSS organized the second virtual Pak-Afghan Youth Entrepreneurs Conference on May 18, 2020, on Zoom. The idea behind this conference was to invite enthusiastic and eminent youth entrepreneurs from Pakistan and Afghanistan as keynote speakers; allowing them to share their knowledge, experience, and strategies amongst the other entrepreneurs. An additional objective was to provide the participating entrepreneurs with the opportunity to adapt to the ideas discussed in the conference and devise digital strategies for their businesses amid the global pandemic. Around fifteen entrepreneurs from Pakistan and Afghanistan attended the event. Addressing the conference, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director, CRSS welcomed all the participants. He expressed his gratitude regarding the youth entrepreneurs of both countries willingness to participate in such virtual conferences to share their expertise with fellow businesspersons even during the ongoing global crises. Through these webinars, many youngsters can obtain the strategies required to augment their businesses amid the current COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, Mr. Imtiaz Gul shared how the closure of the Pak-Afghan border proved to be a major challenge in recent times as the cease of trade operations via the border was denting both the traders and the local Afghans. However, since the issue has been highlighted by CRSS on various television programs, print/social media platforms and several meetings with relevant government stakeholders have taken place, the Pakistan government has decided to open its borders for transit and bilateral trade around the clock at Torkham and Chaman borders. One of the keynote speakers, Ms. Fatima Anila, CEO & Director Alishverish Enterprises...
How COVID-19 Can Impact Democracy |CRSS Ulasi Taroon Workshop
Every crisis has a profound impact on our way of living and governance. Same is the case with COVID-19 which poses a number of public health, economic and democratic challenges not only for Pakistan but globally. Despite all the devastating effects of COVID-19, it gives us the opportunities of innovations like we see in the public health and many other sectors, to think outside the box, rethink strategies and explore new venues where the ones first to scramble to harness these opportunities will the ones to reap the early benefits. The remarks were made by Prof. Dr. Aamer Raza, Department of Political Science, University of Peshawar during the second round of Ulasi Taroon Online Workshops organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) to discuss the Impact of COVID-19 on democracy. The workshop was digitally attended by around 20 youth leaders from different public and private sector universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and held as part of the Center’s efforts to continue to cultivate the young through online conduits for communication, in the absence of physical platforms of youth engagement and development. Dr. Aamer said that democratic governance is where the will of the public is the core consideration and reflected in the matters of governance. Whether its war, financial crises or an epidemic like COVID-19, extraordinary situations and challenges force to take inevitable extraordinary and emergency measures. While these situations may last for a certain period of time, but the measures thus taken can become a new normal which - in case of COVID-19 - can be pose a threat to democracy. Incase of COVID-19, some of the mitigation measures can pose a threat to democracy if they are continued beyond the crises period where the citizens continue to be deprived of some of their fundamental rights that they temporarily vested with the government given the seriousness of the crises. The powers vested with the government during such crises should...
Responsible Citizenship, Role of Youth to Tackle COVID-19 Figured Prominently During Ulasi Taroon Online Workshop
The role of youth to tackle COVIC-19 figured prominently during the first round of Ulasi Taroon Online Workshops, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) on the topic of Social Cohesion in COVID-19 Times and Role of Youth. The workshop was digitally attended by over 20 youth leaders from different public and private sector universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and held as part of the Center’s efforts to continue to cultivate the young through online conduits for communication, in the absence of physical platforms of youth engagement and development. The participating youth leaders were of the view that COVID-19 needs to be taken much more seriously by the Pakistani society given its devastating human cost. While it is important to avoid panic and stoking public fears, the state should utilize all available forms of media to sensitize the masses on the seriousness of the issue and create public awareness regarding the precautionary measures, as facts, not fear, will stop COVID-19. We can survive and respond to the social impact of COVID-19 through social cohesion. While we should fight this pandemic with courage and bravery, but not let go of wisdom and much needed precautions. There is a huge onus on the educated members of the society to stop the spread of misinformation and only share/ pass on the factual information as their opinion is valued more in the society and a small negligence on their part can have fatal repercussions. The youth – even while staying at home - can continue to play their role to tackle COVID-19 by critical observation of the situation, dispelling the misinformation, and defy and report the harmful practices that are jeopardizing the safety of the community at large. The of role of citizenry is at the core of COVID-19 response mechanism; manifest in the fact that only those countries have been able to control the COVID-19 outbreak where the citizens have complied with the governments’ regulations and instructions...
COVID-19 Crisis: Time for Smart Approaches to Keep Pak Afghan Trade Running?
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) and its sister organization Afghan Studies Center (ASC) conducted a virtual Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on “Pak-Afghan Bilateral Trade and Transit vis-a-vis COVID-19 and the Way Forward” on April 29, 2020 via Zoom. The panelists were of the view that both the Governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan agree on the flow of some bilateral and transit trade, despite the testing times of COVID-19 and that is why the Pak-Afghan border is now allowed to be opened three days a week. However, at present, due to limited capacity on both sides, over 7000 containers are stuck at Karachi port, while only 100 at maximum are allowed to pass into Afghanistan a day through Torkham and Chaman border crossing points. Afghanistan relies heavily on Pakistan for transit as well as bilateral trade necessary for the livelihood of its people as well as its business community. So, when the flow from Pakistan in both cases gets halted, it not only causes inflation inside Afghanistan due to shortage of commodities, but also a lot of difficulty for the people. Pakistan has now provided special permission to resume the handling of Afghan cargo at Gwadar port under the Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement 2010 to help in early clearance and quicker transportation of sugar, wheat, and fertilizer to Afghanistan. However, Gwadar port can be utilized more optimally for trade and transit for Afghan side for other goods as well. It is pertinent to note that, the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is keen on liberalizing measures at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border for trade, and has often issued directives, but still there is lack of clarity around the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The experts, thus, formulated the following policy recommendations: There is a need to establish a high-powered working group at the level of both governments with representation from the business community and relevant think tanks which can advise the...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Ulasi Taroon Journey
The 105th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) discussed the journey of programme thus far, through the last two and a half years. It was participated by several project team members and partners to share their experiences, achievements of the initiative, and way forward. The guest on phone, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director, CRSS, noted that the objective of the initiative was youth leadership development by equipping them with the critical thinking skills and education key to social cohesion and peacebuilding. Ulasi Taroon calls for mutual respect, equality while no room for discriminatory attitudes – on the basis of color, cast or creed – that can tear apart the social fabric. We must have differences but our strength lies in commonalities and only by focusing on them, can we not only give more space to each other - as responsible citizens - but also formulate shared goals of development. As long as we resort to dialogue for conflict resolution, the local solutions will keep flowing and we will continue to coexist peacefully. This programme is our small contribution to strengthen social cohesion where the endeavor aims to create an empowered mass of youth which is cognizant of the core constitutional values of harmony and peace, and their roles as future leaders. We hope that Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops have been able to hone the social development potential of youth to help them further propagate the core values of cohesion within their respective spheres. Mrs. Shagufta Khalique, lead trainer (Ulasi Taroon Workshops) and an Educationist, said that the Ulasi Taroon youth alumni - of over 700 male and female students from different universities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province - serves as an asset to the initiative and its true capital for sustainable change. As an inherent communal mechanism for peace and development, we cultivated...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: FATA Integration, a Step Towards Social Cohesion
The 104th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on the topic of “FATA Integration, a Step Towards Social Cohesion”. The first guest on show, Ms. Nousheen Aurakzai, a social activist, noted that the merger of Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been a longstanding dream of tribesmen, though materialized legally but the practical integration still has a long way to go. The basic objective of integration was to foster social cohesion and inclusion, access to justice as equal citizens and abolish the black law of Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR). With the merger, the people of merged tribal districts are equally entitled to the fundamental rights as available to the citizens in the rest of the country. The women of merged districts also need awareness about and education on their constitutional rights as the research-based evidence suggests that only by human rights education, can human rights violation be prevented. The female representation of the tribal areas in the decision-making processes is critical for inclusive policy making considerate of the issues of concern to tribal women and their socio-political and economic needs. To bring the region at par with the other parts of the country, the former FATA residents must be given ample opportunities of social mobility and access to health, educational and legal services as top-most development priorities. The second guest on show, Mr. Faiq Nawaz, Producer, Radio Pakistan and also a journalist, noted that the process of democracy is slow and gradual, but it is the only available way to uphold equal citizenry, good governance and rule of law. And now that the tribal residents can participate in the democratic processes, it is their best opportunity to be a part of their regional and broader national development. The role of media in extremely important to...
Exclusive Interview: Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, SDPI, On Pakistan-Afghanistan Bilateral & Transit Trade During COVID19 Pandemic
In an exclusive online interview with Afghan Studies Center (ASC), Dr. Vaqar Ahmed, Deputy Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), shed light on the impact of COVID19 pandemic on Pakistan’s economy and trade, particularly with its neighboring landlocked country, Afghanistan, and the systematic measures that can be adopted in case of a prolonged lock-down. ASC: How does the COVID-19 impact Pakistan’s economy and trade with other countries in the region? Dr. Vaqar Ahmed: Thank you for having me. I am very grateful for your invitation. COVID19’s impact on developing countries will be profound. In Pakistan’s context, we can see that while our aggregate local demand was already under pressure, now the global demand has also come under pressure. Along with the sluggish oil prices and their impacts on the global markets, we are faced with a trade shock where the exporters are receiving a lower demand from the foreign countries for their export items. As for the local situation, since there is low growth, the pressures will be phenomenal in the coming days. What we also know is that there are going to be multiple rounds of COVID19. What concerns me the most is whether we are prepared for those or not. We do know that is that this is only the first round of the trade shock and these trade shocks are occurring due to two main reasons. Firstly, because international supply chains have been disrupted, there are border closures. Within countries there are logistical issues and then there are challenges around the hygiene, and quarantine facilities at ports and land route stations that handle trade. Secondly, this disruption is going to impact lives, people and jobs, which are going to be associated with the productive sectors of the economy. We have not just seen this in the case of industry or services but also in the case of agriculture. With many countries lacking capacity to employ safe agricultural livestock practices, you are looking at...
Conference: Pak-Afghan Youth Entrepreneurs Devise Digital Business Strategies & Solutions To Deal With The COVID-19 Pandemic
As part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) and Afghan Studies Center’s efforts to enhance Pak-Afghan trade relations, improve business cooperation and explore ways of developing partnerships and joint ventures, CRSS organized a virtual Pak-Afghan Youth Entrepreneurs Conference on April 20, 2020 on Zoom. Over a dozen youth entrepreneurs from both Pakistan and Afghanistan belonging to various fields came together to discuss the current challenges being faced by entrepreneurs during this global pandemic. The current impact of COVID 19 reveals that the global economy is going to take a massive hit. Furthermore, it is evident that due to COVID 19, many sectors will face enormous challenges and unemployment will also rise worldwide. Considering these factors, SMEs and entrepreneurs can capture the market share during this time. Afghan participants included Ms. Parwarish Oryakheil, Vice President (AWCCI); Mr. Naqibullah Safi, Executive Director, PAJCCI; Ms. Spozhmai Siam, CEO Siam Business; Mr. Siam Parsalay, CEO Business Doctors; Ms. Asiya Ahmad, Co-Founder Tech Life; Ms. Weda Sabir, President, Talent Hunt Company and Ms. Marzia Panahi, Director Namad, while Pakistani participants included Ms. Fatima Anila, CEO Alvarish Pvt Ltd; Mr. Fahad Nasir, Manager Oxybridge; Mr. Aamir Malik, CEO, Time & Tune, and Ms. Wardah Usman; Manager Oxybridge. The discussion was moderated by Ms. Fatima Anila and Mr. Junaid Khan, Program Manager, Economic Connectivity, CRSS. As the entrepreneurs came from different sectors, the idea behind the conference was to gain an insight into how various businesses are dealing with the current challenges being posed by COVID-19 and what strategies will be adapted if the pandemic persists and the global lockdown prolongs. The entrepreneurs discussed the following four sectors and presented recommendations vis-à-vis global scenarios. Online businesses Using e-Commerce and Digital Solutions Recent studies have revealed that the...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Social Cohesion and Role of Civil Society
The 103rd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on the topic of “Social Cohesion and Role of Civil Society”. The first guest on show, Mr. Subhan Ali, a social activist from Peshawar, noted that civil society is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Pakistan where it is only attributed to the non- governmental organizational (NGOs). It’s basically a social and public sphere that is located above the domain of family and below the state and includes almost all private-owned media, out-of-government political parties, various non-profit social, political and economic associations of people, institutions and organizations form civil society of a country. The role of civil society is critical not only to democratic development but cardinal in almost all aspects of public life. Peace cannot be built and extremism cannot be defeated without an all-inclusive strategy that considers and fosters proactive role of civil society. No government can achieve the social cohesion, peace and development goals alone without an active support and cooperation of all and sundry. Therefore, the government should help ease challenges facing civil society of the country as a critical support for citizens’ progress and prosperity. The second guest on show, Ms. Farah Yousufzai, a social activist, opined that non-governmental organizations are playing a remarkable part in the social peace and development while working in collaboration with the government, which makes their efforts more effective and transparent. A vibrant civil society is key to democracy which promotes respect for human rights, women empowerment and all those fundamental values and provision enshrined in the constitution. Only through such an education, can communities coexist respectfully. About Ulasi Taroon Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies...
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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.