Current Projects
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Importance of Values Based Education for Social Cohesion
August 03, 2018: The 21st radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on June 01, 2018, on the topic of “Importance of Values Based Education for Social Cohesion”. The first guest on show, Mr. Mehran Wazir said that the values based education is the most inclusive form of education ever available and it should be adopted by all sectors of the society. We should not let our students remain color blind in the society and must teach them to exhibit respect for and celebrate diversity as it’s always good to see different colors and then go along. The model of education embedded in the values of cohesion is becoming increasingly popular among the developed countries. We should also modernize and harmonize all kinds of educational systems in our country. They should also incorporate the sports, debates, co-curricular activities and interactive sessions to help achieve this end. We need to bring positive changes in our educational curricula and incorporate the ideals fundamental to social cohesion and durable peace such as tolerance, equality and acceptance. The second guest on show, Mr. Shams Mohmand, representing CRSS said that Ulasi Taroon; CRSS’s counter-radicalization initiative is a perfect example of values based education as it attempts to cultivate the youth and the public at large in the core constitutional values; especially articles 8-28 in the Pakistani Constitution that promote respect for fundamental human rights and different opinions, tolerance for diversity, and adherence to rule of law to uphold primacy of constitution. This is hoped to result in social peace and cohesive society; characterized by peaceful coexistence. CRSS is doing its part but equal onus is on the academia to promote these values and concepts apart from the academic excellence for students. “The educational system should have the element of building critical thinking skills...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Responsible Citizenship and Volunteerism
August 1, 2018: The 20th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on May 25, 2018, on the topic of “Responsible Citizenship and Volunteerism”. The first guest one on show, Dr. Tariq, a social activist said that volunteerism plays a critical role in the socio-political and economic progress of a society. Responsible citizenship means abiding by laws; it's the spirit to be of service to others with the objective of transforming the society into a peaceful place to live. The second guest on show, Dr. Ejaz Ali Khan, the founder of Hamza Foundation, Peshawar (a volunteer organization for blood donation) emphasized that the drive for volunteer activities gets an impetus only after the people realize the importance of their social and national responsibilities. Media’s role in this regard is critical; both media and civil society organizations are already engaged in raising awareness, however the religious leaders and religious scholars can further promote the idea of volunteerism for social cohesion. The third guest on show, Ms. Shanzae from City University, Peshawar, said that educational institutions must promote social awareness along with academic excellence of the students to foster responsible citizenship and volunteerism. She further added that the role of the family and positive parenthood is the first step towards responsible citizenship and to help progress the society. About Ulasi Taroon Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies that aims to address the radicalization challenges, extremist ideologies and foster social cohesion through a discourse anchored in the core constitutional values which are fundamentally essential prerequisites for social peace and harmony. The endeavor aims to cultivate and sensitize the people of KP in the core values in the Pakistani constitution and our social...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Equal Citizenry and Social Cohesion
The nineteenth radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on May 18, 2018, on the topic of “Equal Citizenry and Social Cohesion”. The first guest on show, Ms. Khurshid Bano, a social activist noted that though the notion of equal citizenry is clearly enshrined in the 1973 Constitution, yet there is a long way to go to achieve the milestone of egalitarian society. For example when a woman gets married, the legal document gives her an equal right of divorce but mostly the women are either unaware of it or that clause is deleted. She emphasized that rule of law and equality needs to begin from home. Educational institutions, civil society and most importantly the state have to play their role in promoting equality and equity; regardless of color, caste or creed. The second guest on show, Mr. Waqar Ahmad Awan was of the opinion that there is a dire need to create awareness among the masses on ideals of equality, respect, acceptance and inclusion. These values are not only anchored in our social contract but also in the religious teachings. Education holds the key to most of the issues posing our society. Mrs. Shagufta from CRSS said that Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the mother document when it comes to the principles of equal citizenry and other fundamental human rights available to the humans. “Every individual is responsible to abide by his/ her social contract. She/ he should not only know about her/ his rights and duties but also about the rights of others. If it is so, then most of our problems will cease to exist”, said Shahid Khan, a young Journalist from Peshawar in the radio report. About Ulasi Taroon Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies that aims to address the radicalization challenges, extremist ideologies and foster social cohesion through a discourse anchored in the...
Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Importance of Interfaith Harmony for Social Cohesion
The eighteenth radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on May 11, 2018, on the topic of “Importance of Interfaith Harmony for Social Cohesion”. Ulasi Taroon consciously promotes the virtues of democratic ideals such as equality, acceptance, inclusion and tolerance as a measure of ensuring social peace and harmony regardless of faith. It also attempts to ensure a diverse participation in its series of radio shows i.e. people from diverse communities and faiths. The first guest on show, Mr. Alexander Mehboob from Diocese of Peshawar, Church of Pakistan, emphatically said that all the religions promote peace, love and tolerance. The religious leaders from all faiths must promote these values if we are dreaming of a cohesive society but unfortunately, there are very limited efforts to create respect for other faiths among the masses. The second guest on show, Mr. Haroon Sarbdiyal, a rights activist working in Peshawar on interfaith harmony and rights of the minorities, representative of Hindu community noted that the 1973 constitution of Pakistan ensures religious freedoms along with fundamental human rights for all citizens of Pakistan, but not only the minority faiths, even the majority Muslims are unaware of their fundamental human rights. It is need of the hour to sensitize our youth on the importance of cross-religious and cultural relations, to help strengthen social cohesion and foster the interfaith harmony. Maulana Hayat Ullah suggested that the onus is on our religious leaders too to create an environment of harmony, peace, and love and understanding among different faiths, communities and cultures. They should also develop their own understanding of the different religions before promoting peaceful coexistence. About Ulasi Taroon Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies that aims to address...
Across the Board Accountability Key to Strengthen Rule of Law: SP Operations Chitral
The eighth round of Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops was held at University of Chitral, to exchange knowledge and information on social cohesion and cultivate the future leaders in the constitutional values critical to social peace and harmony. The event was organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) from July 19-20, 2018. Mr. Noor Jamal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Operations, Chitral said that the workshops like Ulasi Taroon help youth to unleash their full potential and channelize their talents and energies into peaceful conflict resolution. Rule of law means equality - i.e. every individual in the society is important - and indiscriminate application of law; equally applicable and accessible on and to everyone regardless of their background. Rule of law is conducive to peace, socio-political and economic progress, democratic development, employment opportunities, foreign investment, equality and across the board accountability. The efforts to strengthen rule of law in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are manifested in the massive reformation that the KP police had gone through over the last few years with several public service initiatives - aimed to ameliorate the public-police trust deficit - at the core. The linkages between the public and police are extremely crucial to counter-extremism and foster rule of law. The youth must be educated on their rights and responsibilities enshrined in the constitution to uphold rule of law, besides, the media should also create awareness among the masses on the criticality of adherence to rule of law. Dr. Zia-ul-Haq, Director (Academic), University of Chitral, said that the idea to prepare youth for the future challenges is deeply rooted within the policy of University of Chitral. This is achieved by involving the students in different academic and co-curricular activities to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills. He urged the participating students to master the skill of...
APAPPS, A Renewed Hope In Pak-Afghan Relations
The last few months have witnessed a tremendous improvement in Pakistan and Afghanistan’s bilateral relations as seen in the signing of their landmark framework; Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS). This bilateral agreement has been a result of the long awaited willingness from both sides to work together and seek solutions for critical issues faced by both countries, said Ambassador Seema Ilahi Baloch, who was speaking at the Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue forum held at Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS). The theme of the dialogue focused on ‘Pak-Afghan Bilateral Developments under the New Framework of APAPPS’ which was attended by 22 participants, comprising young Afghan and Pakistani students and young professionals, belonging to diverse demographics such as Kabul, Islamabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Ghazni, Herat, Kandahar, Tribal Districts (formerly FATA) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur and Waziristan, Mardan, Rawalpindi, in addition to other areas. Ambassador Baloch, who has served as Ambassador to Poland and High Commissioner to Sri-Lanka, besides other notable positions and representation at international forums during her illustrious career. She has also been part of Beyond Boundaries – a Pakistan-Afghanistan Track 1.5/II initiative of CRSS and its Afghan counterpart supported by British government since 2015. She stated that they witnessed unprecedented optimism in Kabul last month in their meetings with Afghan CEO Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Opposition Leader Gulbuddin Hekmetyar, and other Afghan officials, as part of Beyond Boundaries’ delegation. She told the participants that Islamabad and Kabul agreed on seven point’s schema under APAPPS which include: Pakistan to support the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation; the two countries to undertake effective action against fugitives and irreconcilable elements posing security threats to either of the two countries; both countries commit to deny use of their...
FATA Tribes: Finally Out of Colonial Clutches? Past, Present and Future
Authors: Farooq Yousaf, Haroon Rasheed, Imtiaz Gul Edited by: Zeeshan Salahuddin, Syeda Uruba Nisar This report - part of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) special publications series - provides a brief introduction to the history, culture, traditions and demographics of the ethnic Pashtun tribes inhabiting the north-western border regions of Pakistan. The 27,220 square kilometre area inhabited by these tribes is historically known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and, until May 2018, had been governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR). Since then, Pakistan’s parliament has approved the merger of FATA into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and they are no longer subject to governance informed by British colonial-era legacy. The focus of this report is on the tribes, sub-tribes and notable families residing in the seven administrative units known as Agency (districts) that make up FATA. This report also looks at the traditions, cultural norms, and various traditional conflict mitigation and resolution mechanisms that these Pashtun tribes have practiced for centuries. An overview of economic, demographic, and geopolitical dimensions of FATA is also provided. Download
FATA Tribes: Finally Out of Colonial Clutches? Past, Present and Future
Authors : Farooq Yousaf , Haroon Rasheed, Imtiaz Gul Edited by: Zeeshan Salahuddin and Syeda Uruba Nisar Executive Summary: This report - part of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) special publications series - provides a brief introduction to the history, culture, traditions and demographics of the ethnic Pashtun tribes inhabiting the north-western border regions of Pakistan. The 27,220 square kilometre area inhabited by these tribes is historically known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and, until May 2018, had been governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR). Since then, Pakistan’s parliament has approved the merger of FATA into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and they are no longer subject to governance informed by British colonial-era legacy.[1] The focus of this report is on the tribes, sub-tribes and notable families residing in the seven administrative units known as Agency (districts) that make up FATA. This report also looks at the traditions, cultural norms, and various traditional conflict mitigation and resolution mechanisms that these Pashtun tribes have practiced for centuries. An overview of economic, demographic, and geopolitical dimensions of FATA is also provided. Furthermore, this report explores the string of counter-terror campaigns launched by the Pakistani military in FATA soon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. It also highlights the many initiatives undertaken by the Pashtun tribes to counter the spiralling Al-Qaeda-inspired militancy. However, after the United States (US) led Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, these tribes were sandwiched between the military and the militants (both local Taliban and foreign - all likely inspired or affiliated with Al-Qaeda). These foreign militants turned out to be a boon for the local, cash-strapped economy; many tribesmen provided them refuge either out of ideological empathy, sympathy or for direct monetary gains. The most...
Q2 Security Report – 2018
Executive Summary: The death toll from militancy has been on a steady decline. However, militants continue to stage attacks, especially targeting security personnel. Compounding this threat is the worsening relationship between Pakistan and the United States of America (USA) caused by the suspicions maintained by USA on the Haqqani network’s presence in the country – an allegation vehemently denied by Pakistan. In the second quarter of 2018, violence-related casualties continue to exhibit a downward trend, which has been observed since 2016. In fact, each of the last six quarters has shown a decline in violence-related fatalities, thus showcasing an improving security landscape. Balochistan remains the most violent province, and Karachi and Quetta the most violent cities. Every region in the country exhibited a decline, except Tribal Areas, where fatalities increased by 48%. Gun violence and clashes between LEAs and militants were the primary methods of violence. Civilians was the largest group affected, with 112 casualties. In addition. 61 security and government personnel were also killed during this quarter. Militants, criminals and insurgents suffered 79 fatalities. TTP claimed the largest number of fatalities this quarter (8), followed by IS (4), and finally TTP-JA (1) and BLA (1). Sectarian violence also saw a marked decline this quarter with 17 deaths related to sectarian violence reported in Q2, 2018. Readers can approach CRSS for information related to this report. Alternately, you may send your queries to mail@crss.pk, directly to Mohammad Nafees, Senior Research Fellow, CRSS – the author of the report (mohammad.nafees@yahoo.com), or Zeeshan Salahuddin, Senior Research Fellow, the editor. Casualties from Violence in Pakistan: There were 521 casualties from violence (250 dead and 271 wounded) in the country during this quarter. Like the previous quarter, Balochistan had the highest number of fatalities followed by Traibal Areas, KP, Sindh, and Punjab...
CRSS Condemns Haroon Bilour’s Murder
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) condemns in strongest possible words the horrendous terrorist attack on Awami National Party’s (ANP) leader Haroon Bilour and his party workers in Peshawar on July 10, 2018. At the same time, we would also extend our heart-felt condolences to the bereaved families of the martyrs of this heinous attack and pray for the quick recovery of those injured. Haroon Bashir Bilour and at least 20 others were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up during a corner meeting in Peshawar’s Yakatoot area last night. At least 30 others were injured. The ANP leader was contesting polls from PK-78 constituency of Peshawar and the said meeting was arranged as a part of his election campaign. It is pertinent to note here that Bilour’s father, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, also had lost his life in a 2012 suicide bomb explosion in the city’s Qissa Khawani bazar. The Bilour family has suffered the worst terrorist violence and rendered sacrifices for Pakistan. However, CRSS strongly believes that these terrible happenings will not deter the resolve of the nation, that elections will proceed as planned, and that we will prevail over extremism in all its forms.
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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.