Current Projects
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Youth as Peacebuilders
October 30, 2018: The 34th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on September 07, 2018, on the topic of “Youth as Peacebuilders”. “Youth is the greatest asset of every nation. The role of youth is crucial to bring change in the society and all the nations need their contribution in the national development. It becomes much more critical in a country like Pakistan where the youth comprises over sixty percent of the overall population, thus, we need to harness their potential to promote peace, tolerance, equality, justice, rule of law and social cohesion in the society”. These were the remarks of first guest on show, Mr. Shahnam Khan, a young human rights activist. He appreciated the initiative of Ulasi Taroon and suggested that the youth capacity building workshops like the ones held under this initiative should be take place on regular basis and have an even bigger footprint across the country given their importance in educating the youth in the critical peacebuilding perspectives. Shahnam stressed that youth development is a collective responsibility where parents, civil society organizations, educational institutions and above all, the state should make concerted efforts to guide the youth in the proper direction and help them channelize their potential into the national development. The youth is abundantly talented, but just lack opportunities. Therefore, the government should provide proper opportunities and platforms to the youth to play their much needed role in and as social cohesion and peace builders. The second guest on show, Miss Mashal Khan noted that both male and female populations are equally responsible for peace building in the society. However, the key issue faced right now is the capacity of youth leaders and availability of forums that they can utilize to express themselves in a logical, dispassionate and focused way. She said that...
Khan’s Visit and The Chinese Mindset
The 8-point joint statement released after PM Imran Khan’s maiden China visit and spread over nearly 2,900 words says it all about how the Chinese mind works; meticulous, insightful, far-sighted, penchant for detail, deliberately cautious and measured. It also underscores that the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good-neighborly Relations signed in 2005 remains the foundation of the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership. It encompasses nearly all social, political, and economic dimensions of the bilateral relations. It also touches most of the current simmering regional and international issues including Afghanistan and the US sanctions on Iran. Those familiar with the Chinese mindset and their cultural norms a little better most others know that Chinese officials and politicians are as much averse to verbosity and chest-thumping as to public trumpeting of critically sensitive issues. They love to pursue strategically important objectives quietly instead of making noises over media. Inherent in their culture is not to embarrass their friends. Nor do they like to be embarrassed by their close partners and friends. Also, Pakistan is not the only country in need of help and Beijing would like to do things in a way that doesn’t raise expectations of other developing countries for the same issue. This response clearly reflects the caution mode that reckless, uncalculated and uninformed comments by our ministers forced the Chinese leadership into. And the obvious loser could be the country and not cabinet members. Does the Khan visit and the ensuing joint statement bear any lessons for Pakistani politicians, military and bureaucrats, most of whom keep acting like care-free dons, unmindful of the sensitivities of a close friend like China, and ill-prepared when it comes to the substance of bilateral cooperation. Earlier, our entire DMG-led machinery under Nawaz Sharif got exposed when they failed to deliver the basic framework several months after the launch...
CRSS Symposium: Regional Security Dynamics; Hostage To Conflicting Geopolitics
Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) organized a symposium on “Regional Security Dynamics; Hostage to Conflicting Geopolitics” on October 29, 2018 at Marriott Hotel Islamabad. The keynote speakers included veteran of the US Marine Corps and Policy Research Analyst Adam Weinstein, former National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua and former Ambassador Asif Ali Durrani. CRSS Executive Director Imtiaz Gul welcomed all the participants – comprising delegates, dignitaries and foreign guests. Gul opened the session by saying that there is exceptionalism we see in global politics. A lot of people talk about Chinese exceptionalism, but then there’s the other side of exceptionalism that is tied to the US, where contradictions are evident. To have the better understanding of US perspective in this regard, Gul invited an American friend Adam Weinstein on the podium to deliver the talk about the subject theme. Adam Weinstein, speaking on the theme ‘US Exceptionalism, Geopolitics and Regional peace: Can a Regional Initiative Work Without the US? What Went Wrong in Afghanistan?’ stated that US is stuck in a learning trap – where military solution repeatedly takes precedence when it comes to Afghanistan; Pakistan, on the other hand, continues to press for a political settlement. Owing to this divergence in approaches, the present relations between Washington and Islamabad are increasingly becoming dysfunctional. It has to be understood that the notion of Washington having considerable leverage over Islamabad is a misperceived one; this is due to US’ own conflicting policies, he added. Thus, cooperation is the only way out. The veteran was of the view that US and Pakistan are stuck in a blame-game-trap where Islamabad perceives that Washington is not committed to Afghanistan, while the US in turn disagrees with Islamabad’s approach towards Afghanistan. The cause of the continuing conflict in the region is that short-term goals are prioritized over long-term...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Use of Information Technology for Counter-Radicalization
October 28, 2018: The 33rd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on August 31, 2018, on the topic of “Use of Information Technology for Counter-Radicalization”. Tolerance comes through its education and practice. Earlier, the education was only imparted in schools and homes but now the mediums have changed where it is not just limited to schools or any other physical medium but you can get quality education from the best institutions across the world by just sitting at home, through the use of information technology, said Mr. Zafar Iqbal, the first guest on show. He added that many social issues which would go unnoticed or unreported before have now been successfully highlighted through the use of information technology where the citizens are quite aware of its efficacy in getting their views across. New legislation is needed to regulate the use of electronic social media to ensure that it is going to be used positively and promote social cohesion rather than polarizing the society. The presence of divisive elements on social media - causing polarization in the society and jeopardizing the social peace and harmony - must be detected and penalized. Mr. Zafar emphasized that peace and tolerance perspectives are the fundamentally essential prerequisites for a society to nourish, therefore, there should be efforts at the state and society level to promote the democratic values critical to social peace and harmony. Also the media channels should broadcast such programming that propagates the messaging which can strengthen the social fabric of the society. The second guest on show, Syed Furqan Ali suggested that the state, in collaboration with the educational institutions should constructively engage the youth on the deployment of information technology tools to promote tolerance and acceptance in the society. The educational institutions should also...
‘Cooperation only way forward for US, Pakistan’
US is stuck in a learning trap – where military solution repeatedly takes precedence when it comes to Afghanistan; Pakistan, on the other hand, continues to press for a political settlement. Owing to this divergence in approaches, the present relations between Washington and Islamabad are increasingly becoming dysfunctional. It has to be understood that the notion of Washington having considerable leverage over Islamabad is a misperceived one; this is due to US’ own conflicting policies. Thus, cooperation is the only way out. The US and Pakistan are stuck in a blame-game-trap where Islamabad perceives that Washington is not committed to Afghanistan, while the US in turn disagrees with Islamabad’s approach towards Afghanistan. The cause of the continuing conflict in the region is that short-term goals are prioritized over long-term stability, according to former US Marine and Policy Research Analyst Adam Weinstein, who was speaking at a symposium organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS)at Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Monday. There are fundamental problems that cannot be attributed only to Pakistan, he said; for example, the trust deficit between the US military and its Afghan partners which makes it challenging to counter insurgency on the ground. Moreover, there doesnot appear to be any possibility that the US would withdraw from Afghanistan any time soon, Weinstein affirmed. If President Trump will not do it, then no one else will probably do it. Neither the US nor Pakistan have a clear foreign policy, nor a clear solution for the conflict in Afghanistan, because both countries are bound by the policies of frequently changing governments and their own agendas. Furthermore, the veteran was of the view that the defense department and industry certainly have a leverage in crafting the foreign policy and in this regard, the US military industrial complex as a stakeholder in the Afghan imbroglio cannot be overlooked. As far the Syrian and...
Only by Adherence to Law, Can Rule of Law Be Upheld: DPO Swabi
Law is not equivalent to the gun, nor is the role of law enforcement agencies just with the gun. It’s a set of rules and regulatory framework to regulate the human behaviors and interactions. For such regulation, the society develops cultures, traditions and ethics whereas the state develops laws to control the human conduct. The practical application of laws faces several critical challenges in the present times. The concept of rule of law is applicable across the board and not just for and on a specific group in the society. The policy makers - while devising laws and legislations – must not ignore the culture, its evolution and the sensitivities attached to it as the culture is always stronger than a law. This factor should be considered and analyzed during the policy making process given that you can fight crimes but you cannot fight the culture. The concept of rule of law has three important tiers that it originates from including constitution, laws and rules. It calls for abiding by these three and make sure that there is rule of law and not some powerful individual. It also calls for the indiscriminate application of laws and impartiality of those implementing laws. It is transparent and certain that everyone is subject to accountability and accountable to law no matter how powerful. It should be transparently applied - across the board - with certainty to uphold publics’ belief in law. Rule of law requires certainty of punishment; not the intensity of it. These were the notions expressed by Syed Khalid Hamdani, District Police Officer (DPO), Swabi during the tenth round of Ulasi Taroon, Youth Capacity Building Workshops organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at the Women University, Mardan from October 26-27, 2018. Barrister Ali Gohar; Shagufta Khalique, an educationist; and CRSS team leader Malik Mustafa also spoke during the workshop. While sharing with the participating students the practical perspective and his experiences on...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Multiculturalism and Social Cohesion
The 32nd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on August 24, 2018, on the topic of “Multiculturalism and Social Cohesion”. “Culture can be defined as a way of life people of a certain territory have chosen for themselves. Culture is also a dynamic phenomenon that may change with the passage of time. No country in the world has a unified and singular culture but a host of different local cultures and traditions”. These were the opening remarks of the guest on show, Mr. Shakeel Waheed Ullah, a writer and social activist. He noted that the community elders can play a vital role in the revival of positive cultural values to promote tolerance and cohesion in the society. Taking into account the role of media, he said that this tremendous platform needs to realize the significance of its role in promoting such indigenous cultural norms and positive values which are critical to social cohesion, as most of the content on our media is influenced by the foreign media. We should exhibit tolerance not only towards the diverse cultures but also for the different faiths around us. The second in-studio guest, Mr. Hassan Madni said that any culture or civilization takes centuries to evolve and is directly influenced by the religion, cast, race and traditions of that area, however, the role of every individual is pivotal for peaceful coexistence with the people of different cultures. He said the constitution of Pakistan clearly describes the fundamental protections available to the citizens on equal basis, however, the implementation remains the real challenge. “We should sensitize our youth on the virtues of a multiculturalism and harness their potential to promote the fundamental constitutional principles to respect others regardless of the cultural, traditional or religious differences. Only by cultivating these seeds, can we have a cohesive society”, said Syed...
Nobody can spoil Pak-China relations: Chinese Ambassador
Only days ahead of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden trip to China, the message from Chinese officials is loud and clear: Beijing will do whatever it can to help Pakistan expand its manufacturing sector and increase its export potential. Imran Khan, accompanied by his foreign minister, will lead a delegation to China from November 02-05 which will sign several agreements on "diverse fields". After visiting Beijing, Khan is set be a key note speaker at the First China International Import Expo in Shanghai. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is just one dimension of the Pakistan-China brotherly relations which stand on mutual respect, mutual goodwill and confidence in each other, Ambassador Yao Jing told reporters on Friday at the sprawling Chinese embassy in Islamabad. “We should guard against negative forces out there which don’t want to see China prosper and which are also opposed to the close and exemplary Pakistan-China relations,” Jing said, underscoring that Chinese capital and technology will be put to use to reinforce and expand Pakistan’s manufacturing capacity, which he said is key to increasing exports. On the occasion Zhao Lijian, the deputy head of mission, explained the status of the $ 19 billion that has sofar been injected into Pakistan as soft loans and commercial investments – leading up to the completion of 22 energy and infrastructure projects. Of the $19 billion, six billion dollars are a soft loan at 2.5 percent mark-up, with a one-time 7 percent insurance cost to it. The total cost for this loan would hardly exceed 6 percent on the average during the 20-year repayment period that starts in 2022, he explained. Both officials brushed aside speculation on Chinese being concerned about “concerns expressed by PM Khan or his colleagues” as a non-story. The talk to this effect is totally irrelevant since the bilateral relationship as well as the entire CPEC process rest on mutual consultation and coordination. We are determined to invest...
Energy Security, The Cornerstone Of Sustainable Peace And Development In Afghanistan
Only 41% of Afghanistan’s population has access to electricity, including both on-grid and off-grid, with the average consumption of the country standing at approximately 25kWh/capita per annum or lower in comparison to the world average of 3060 kWh/capita per annum. Even this low per-capita level of electricity access masks significant urban-rural disparities, as even less than 10% of the supplied electricity reaches rural areas. To meet the remaining electricity demand, alongside imports, the untapped domestic energy resources of Afghanistan could significantly aid in catering to the energy needs of the Afghan people, if utilized optimally, said Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi – energy expert and glaciologist – who was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker at the 17th Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue at Afghan Studies Center on the theme “Economic Growth in Afghanistan Using Cheap Energy as Engine for Regional Peace” on October 24, 2018. Speaking to the youth present at the dialogue from Afghanistan and Pakistan, he stated that Afghanistan should now move towards employing natural resources as a primary source of energy instead of conventional non-renewable resources. The dialogue was attended by more than 20 young Afghans and Pakistanis belonging to Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad, Kabul, Jalalabad, Kunduz, and other cities from both countries, and mostly enrolled in universities across Islamabad. According to World Bank’s statistics, the potential of power generation through hydropower resources in Afghanistan is about 23,310 MW. In the same manner, Afghanistan has even greater potential of power generation through its wind and solar resources. However, while donors have overstretched their funds to other issues, energy needs have been greatly overlooked. To progress in this direction, there is a need to undertake proper strategies and planning. Energy projects with regards to the massive potential of coal, oil and gas can also bring a lot of investors by creating a win-win...
Pakistan’s image and diplomacy: will somebody stand up please!
The absence of Pakistani ambassador at a rare two-day Pakistan-focused conference, jointly organized by the Woodrow Wilson Center and the NGO Indus, at Washington yet again underscored the missing zeal that top diplomats must possess and demonstrate on such occasions. The ‘Pathways to Change Pakistan’ brought together various Pakistan watchers and a big number of diaspora to discuss various dimensions of our society, and offered an excellent change – also for our ambassador to lend the official support to the symposium. Two junior officers diligently represented the Pakistani embassy throughout the day but the deputy head of mission showed up only for a reception at the end of the day. We were told the ambassador was scheduled to come but the presence of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Zubair Hayat held him back from the conference. A ludicrous excuse, indeed. What was important indeed: accompanying a general whose institution initially had displayed contempt for a political appointee, who is also facing cases at the National Accountability Bureau, or his presence at a conference meant to rub off some of the predominantly negative perception of the country. The environment – as far as the US and Afghan serving and retired officials or think-tankers is concerned – was largely hostile and it required the best of responses in Pakistan’s new domestic and the geo-political context. We were told that the new ambassador had made inroads and was getting unprecedented access to higher levels of the US administration. But the keynote inaugural speech that Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Henry Ensher delivered at the conference ran contrary to the image and aura that the ambassador reportedly had created around himself. Ensher’s emphasis on Washington’s two ‘highest priorities’ in Pakistan – continued existence of safe havens and the stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials – was a stinging reminder that the narrative on Pakistan remains unchanged at all. “We can...
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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.