Current Projects
Shakarparian Forest – The Vital Organ of Islamabad’s Ecosystem
By Engineer Arshad H Abbasi Since its designation as Pakistan’s capital in 1963, Islamabad has experienced exponential growth and urbanization, with its population surging By Engineer Arshad H Abbasi from 0.117 million in 1961 to 2.4 million by 2023. The city's favorable climate, abundant green spaces, accessible healthcare and educational facilities, and modern amenities appeal to both people residing inside the country and expatriates. However, this rapid growth has exacted a severe environmental cost, with the city’s urbanization leading to significant changes in land use and ecological balance, deforestation, habitat loss, and disruption of its vital ecosystems. The replacement of natural land cover with impermeable urban materials has contributed to changing local climates, increased energy consumption, and affected air and water quality. Islamabad’s rapid urbanization makes it one of the fastest expanding cities in Pakistan but the conversion of croplands, grasslands, and forests into urban structures poses significant environmental challenges. It highlights the need for sustainable urban planning and management practices to mitigate the negative impacts on the city's ecology and residents. The Tragic Tale of Islamabad's Urbanization Islamabad, a city once known for its lush green landscapes and pleasant climate, now suffers from the devastating consequences of uncontrolled urbanization. Between 1961 and 2024, the city has experienced an alarming temperature rise of 5°C, with projections indicating a further rise of 0.7°C by 2039 and 2.2°C by 2069. The urban heat island effect has turned the city into a scorching hotbed. A City Drowning in Its Own Development The unchecked growth of Islamabad has led to a plethora of environmental disasters. The city's sprawling landscape has exacerbated traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution. The replacement of natural surfaces with impermeable ones has made the city vulnerable to urban floods. The...
Relations Taken Hostage to Vindictive and Arrogant Mindset
By Imtiaz Gul Any conversation on whether and how to improve Indo-Pakistan relations will remain incomplete without a peep back to statements by political stalwarts to grasp the mindset and strategy that PM Narendra Modi and national security advisor Ajit Doval brought with them in 2014, i.e. how to deal with Pakistan. What strategy did they adopt to punish the country seen as the backer of the Kashmir militancy and those who staged the Mumbai attacks? Context India Today (late October 2009) held a round table of security experts under the title BEST (best experts on security and terrorism). Ajit Doval and G. Parthasarthi, a former high commissioner to Pakistan, were among the 12 experts on the session on “how to tackle an obstinate Pakistan.” (https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20091109-how-to-tackle-an-obstinate-pakistan-741229-2009-10-28) The security dialogue yielded interesting observations and recommendations. Some of the key points put on the table by Ajit Doval read: We secured Bangladesh and handed over to them to run their own country. So that is one… You can never deal with any obstinate enemy unless you have brought it to your terms… To do that, don’t let either side win. Pakistan is in turmoil, there are two sides to it, their army is seriously engaged, so let it continue. Parthasarthi, considered as a hardliner on Pakistan and China, had the following to say: It (Pakistan) has fault-lines which may be exploited by India as they have to realise that. The fact that Pakistan is having problems in Afghanistan, they are also with Iran. These are things we need to work on. Parthasarthi went on to insist that “Pakistan has to be made to realise that it will pay, not just a diplomatic price (the Kerry Lugar Bill being one manifestation of that)[1] but also a price otherwise for what it is doing and therefore raising the costs for Pakistan’s covert overt needs to be an essential ingredient of policy.” Another participant, Ved Marwah,...
The Energy Crisis in Pakistan: A Tragedy of Neglect, Corruption, and Systemic Decay
By Engineer Musa Arshad Abbasi The Collapse of a Nation’s Power Pakistan’s energy crisis is not just an inconvenience—it is a national catastrophe that has crippled industries, strangled economic growth, and plunged millions into darkness. This crisis is not merely the result of natural resource shortages but the inevitable consequence of decades of systemic corruption, poor governance, and a widespread disregard for scientific progress. At its core, this disaster stems from a deliberate neglect of mechanical engineering, technical expertise, and sustainable energy solutions. As a country rich in coal, hydropower, and solar energy resources, Pakistan should not be struggling with daily power cuts, inflated energy costs, and a failing grid. Yet, due to corrupt politicians, an unaccountable military-industrial complex, and an education system that produces underqualified engineers, Pakistan has fallen into an energy abyss. With the gap between the rich and the poor widening every single day, the elite enjoy imported luxuries while the middle and lower classes struggle to afford basic necessities like food and electricity. A Resource-rich Rich Country Devoid of Vision Pakistan is not devoid of energy resources. The Thar coal reserves, estimated at 175 billion tons, remain largely untapped due to poor planning, mismanagement, and environmental concerns that are conveniently ignored elsewhere in the world. The Indus River system offers vast potential for hydroelectric power, yet bureaucratic inefficiency and corruption have prevented the construction of large-scale dams. Similarly, solar and wind energy projects remain stagnant due to bureaucratic red tape and a lack of incentives for engineers and entrepreneurs. The real tragedy is not the absence of energy - it is in fact the absence of foresight, planning, and investment in the right sectors. Countries like China, India, and even Bangladesh have adopted diverse energy solutions, while Pakistan continues to import...
The Myth of Climate Change in Pakistan Sorrow Tale of Systemic Failures
Technical Analysis by Engineer Arshad H Abbasi Executive Summary This report provides an incisive scrutiny of Pakistan's flood management strategies and systemic failures (both due to incompetence and corrupt practices) and highlights the country's vulnerability to devastating floods, as evidenced by the 2010 and 2022 disasters. Both calamities entailed cumulative estimated losses worth over $73 billion. In the aftermath of the floods in 2010 and 2022, the Government of Pakistan framed climate change as the sole culprit behind the staggering damages to the economy. After the catastrophic failure to manage the floods of 2010, international consultancy firms of repute were commissioned to develop a National Flood Protection Plan, including recommendations to enhance the capacity of the Federal Flood Commission (FFC). A distinguished panel comprising Dr. Fernando J. Gonzalez, former Regional Director of the World Bank; Dr. Thinus Basson, a professor and consultant with leading U.S. universities; and Dr. Bert Schultz, a Dutch expert renowned for his work on irrigation and drainage, conducted extensive studies and finalized their recommendations in August 2019. However, it seems that no government heeded these recommendations by international consultants on flood management, and the tendency is often to deflect from systemic failures by attributing the disaster entirely to climate change—glossing over the underlying factors that aggravated losses. No surprise that the federal finance minister, Mohammad Aurangzeb, admitted before the Senate Climate Change Committee that “the country has lost its credibility” (February 20, 2025). This begs a basic question: Can we relate the devastating impact of floods to climate change only? Do the damages accrue only from uncontrollable floods, or do systemic failures prevent partial mitigation and minimization of the floods? The report, therefore, explores this basic question and reviews Flood Management Strategies led by the Federal...
Nuclear Power and Powerlessness: Pakistan’s Struggle with Energy Inefficiency and Corruption
By Engineer Musa Arshad Despite possessing the sixth-largest nuclear arsenal globally, with approximately 160 warheads, Pakistan's energy sector is plagued by inefficiencies that have far-reaching consequences. The country's reliance on international aid to sustain its power sector is a stark contrast to its nuclear capabilities, which position Pakistan as a significant player on the international stage. The statistics are alarming: 40% of Pakistan's population lives in poverty, largely due to the energy sector's inefficiencies. Rather than addressing the root causes of these issues, stakeholders seem to be perpetuating the problems for personal financial gain. The prevailing approach of adding new power plants to the national grid, without ensuring transparency and accountability, is akin to pouring more water into a leaking bucket—a short-sighted solution that fails to address the underlying issues. A lingering myth suggests that in the waning years of the Soviet Union, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) allegedly devised a plan to infiltrate and manipulate the USSR's leadership structure. According to this narrative, the CIA aimed to install incompetent officials in key positions, thereby exacerbating the Soviet Union's internal weaknesses and hastening its downfall. While the veracity of this claim remains uncertain, one thing is clear: the Soviet Union's sudden and catastrophic collapse on January 1, 1991, was, in part, attributable to the ineptitude of its highest-ranking officials. Despite boasting the largest landmass and an arsenal of tens of thousands of nuclear weapons, the Soviet Union's sphere of influence crumbled, leaving in its wake a power vacuum and a legacy of instability. Pakistan's energy sector is plagued by a decades-long history of corruption and inefficiency, eerily reminiscent of the Soviet Union's downfall. Over the past thirty years, officials and ministers have been appointed to key positions in the Planning Commission, Ministry of...
Afghans in Pakistan Shouldn’t Pay the Price for Political Disputes: Senator Mushahid Hussain
If we look at the refugee profile in Pakistan, for the most part, the country has been a model host for welcoming refugees from different countries. Pakistan has the largest number of refugees for the longest duration in modern history, not just from Afghanistan but also having the largest Rohingya and Bengali population, and Somalis as well. They are experiencing better conditions in Pakistan compared to many other countries in the region, in terms of the treatment they receive from host communities and authorities. These remarks were made by Former Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed during the dialogue on Human Trafficking in Pak-Afghan Region, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). He underlined the need to look at the bigger picture of the issues of human trafficking and illegal migration to make sense of the scale and magnitude of the problem which has now become a global concern and having impact on the politics of and relations between several countries; noting that it was at the core of president trump’s election campaign as the flagship issue. He said that foreigners or non-Pakistanis living in Pakistan who have children born in Pakistan should become Pakistani citizens whether they are Afghans, Rohingyas, or Bengalis. “I believe, if someone who has been living here for the last 30, 40 years, they are Pakistanis”. “We must have problems with the regime in Kabul but the Afghans living in Pakistan should not pay the price”, he said while opposing the forced eviction of refugees on any pretext, noting that it was morally, legally, and politically wrong. Pakistan is a big enough country to accommodate people who come here for economic and so many other reasons. Afghans in Pakistan who worked with US forces in Afghanistan have been waiting for their visas for the last three years, face prolonged uncertainty, financial hardships, and legal challenges as they navigate bureaucratic delays and shifting immigration policies. The issue of...
The Dark Clouds of Pakistan: An Investigative Report on Air Pollution and Smog
By Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi Air pollution in Pakistan has emerged as a critical environmental and public health challenge, with major cities such as Lahore consistently recording some of the highest Air Quality Index (AQI) levels globally. The prevalence of toxic smog, exacerbated by vehicular emissions, industrial pollutants, and the use of substandard fuels, has led to significant health repercussions, including respiratory diseases and premature mortality. Additionally, the economic burden of air pollution is substantial, with estimated losses amounting to billions of dollars annually. Despite the severity of the crisis, policy responses have been insufficient in addressing the root causes of deteriorating air quality. This report provides an evidence-based analysis of Pakistan’s air pollution crisis, examining key sources, socio-economic consequences, and the necessity of adopting stringent regulatory frameworks and technological interventions to mitigate environmental degradation and safeguard public health.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Pashtun and Tahaffuz Movements: Mobilizing across borders
Dr. Seema Khan is a lecturer in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University in Australia. She serves as a section editor of the Springer Global Encyclopedia of Territorial Rights and was a Jinnah Fellow at the London School of Economics. Beyond academia, Seema’s professional journey spans over two decades within the public sectors across Australia and Pakistan. When addressing militancy in KP and other regions of Pakistan, there is a need to develop a national consensus. A comprehensive and integrated strategy is required to combat militancy effectively, one that considers local realities and dynamics rather than relying solely on top-down decisions that often ignore ground-level complexities. A collaborative approach, involving experts who have demonstrated success in addressing such challenges, is essential. Some officers have previously undertaken remarkable work, and their insights should be leveraged. While preparing a report on the current situation in Pakistan, I read Azam Khan’s detailed Counter Terrorism Strategy duly approved by the provincial Cabinet in its 46th meeting on 02/05/2012. The officer was a former Principal Secretary to PM Imran Khan & Former Secretary Home KP in the ANP’s government. Astonishingly, the strategy is so relevant even today and unfortunately, a decade down the line we are back to square one- nothing has changed. The report sets a strong foundation and presents a template to counter this menace. Though issued over a decade ago even before the formation of the 20 Points National Action Plan (NAP-2014) outlined by NACTA that was approved on 24th of December, 2014 by the Parliament. Despite all this, the relevance of the Counter Terrorism Strategy still remains undiminished. It underscores the importance of local participation in understanding the socio-political dynamics at play and highlights the risks of excluding those with direct interaction with affected communities. It is crucial that LEAs, both...
Engagement with Afghanistan must to help millions in distress: UNAMA
Disengagement is neither an option nor helpful to Afghans. We must collectively engage with Afghanistan to create an entry point for helping millions of Afghans that are in distress, and also help the country deal with its longstanding challenges. These remarks were made by the head of the Pakistan-based liaison office for the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Malick Ceesay, during the launching ceremony of “Complex Terrorism Landscape in Pakistan-Afghanistan Region: Afghan Emirate as Counter-Terror Partner”, the latest publication of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). The research publication offers critical insights into the evolving dynamics of militancy in the region and explores the heightened threats posed by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. The UNAMA representative further said that peace and stability of Afghanistan is the concern of the entire international community and not just of the United Nations, all wanting to see the country prosper, stable and enjoy lasting peace as a matter of Afghanistan’s and international interest. UNAMA and UN are committed and working to make that possible through engagement, regional collaboration and coordination. The CRSS research in its key highlights notes that contrary to the initial optimism about Taliban rule that it might bring decline in transnational terrorism and lead to regional stability, the threats have instead only intensified and it has introduced new complexities, manifest in - as far as Afghanistan’s neighbors are concerned - 66% surge in violence recorded in Pakistan in 2024, the highest in nearly a decade. The country also witnessed a sustained rise in i) overall violence (resulting from terrorism and counter-terrorism operations), and ii) terror attacks on Pakistan’s security forces and their resulting fatalities, for the fourth consecutive year since 2021, which...
COMPLEX TERRORISM LANDSCAPE IN PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN REGION : AFGHAN EMIRATE AS COUNTER-TERROR PARTNER
This report examines the evolving militant landscape in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region following the Afghan Taliban’s (TTA) return to power in August 2021. Contrary to initial hopes that the Taliban’s governance might stabilize the region, the threats have instead only intensified and introduced new complexities. Two primary actors—Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP)—now dominate the militant dynamics, each pursuing distinct yet equally destabilizing agendas. This dramatic development was largely perceived as a potential turning point for regional stability. Optimists believed their rule might disincentivize violence among ideological allies and enable pragmatic governance. However, these expectations quickly evaporated – at least as far as Afghanistan’s neighbours are concerned .The Afghan Taliban’s radical world view, insistence on their brand of sharia as well as the ambivalence toward the TTP – and the stated reluctance to censure TTP for terrorist violence in Pakistan – threw up new challenges. In 2024, Pakistan experienced a dramatic 66% increase in terror-related fatalities, the highest in nearly a decade. This violence was concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which together accounted for over 90% of casualties. A closer look at the two primary militant actors reveals their divergent but equally dangerous trajectories. The TTP, deeply rooted in Deobandi ideology, aims to establish an Islamic state in Pakistan. Benefitting from the Taliban’s sanctuary in Afghanistan, the group has exploited the porous border to regroup and intensify cross-border attacks. On the other hand, ISKP follows a rigid Salafi-jihadist doctrine with aspirations for a global caliphate. Unlike the TTP, ISKP prioritizes transnational jihad and employs brutal mass-casualty attacks targeting civilians, religious minorities, and rival Sunni factions, including the Taliban. This rivalry between TTP and ISKP reflects broader ideological...
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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.