It is an unfortunate trait of Pakistan’s policies that are mostly reactive, rather than well thought out and in line with national interests. Getting off the hook, temporarily, with a three month reprieve over terrorist financing watch-list at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris is a sad reflection on the rudderless state of lack of strategic governance in Pakistan. A motion initiated by the US and backed by other states mainly UK, Germany, France seeks to place Pakistan on the “grey-list”; a list that boasts weak nations that failed to enforce strong regulations against terror financing. USA under Trump has picked out only one reason for her troubles in Afghanistan. That trouble is called Pakistan. The US under Trump through this approach has decided to come after Pakistan. The changing geo-political nexus with the US seen to be siding openly with India and literally foul-mouthing Pakistan publicly is the ‘new US tactic’ (Reference Trump’s tweet on on January 1st 2018). China’s commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and by extension China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), designed not only to excel its outreach to the world but also to gain a stronger regional foothold, is crystal clear. This rise of China is something the US has feared and would like to delay as much as it can. The ambitious posture of China gives rise to a fundamental question: whether it will be China or the US that determines the rules for trade and investments in the decades to come. Geo-politics aside, the limelight cannot be drawn away from Pakistan’s abject failure at devising policies to any area of domestic or international policies. On September 28, 2016, the White House, Office of the Press Secretary, released Statement by NSC Spokesperson Ned Price on National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice’s call with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of India that reads as follows: “National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice spoke today by phone with Indian National...

In Pakistan and Afghanistan, democracy can more aptly be described as ‘government off the people, (government) far (from) people and (government to) buy people,’ stated Mr. Jami Chandio. He was speaking at the Center for Research & Security Studies’ (CRSS) seventh Pak-Afghan youth training workshop on Wednesday, February 21, held under its Afghan Studies Center initiative, which was attended by several young Pakistani and Afghan students and professionals. Contrary to the true application of democracy in its real essence, Mr. Chandio stated, that democracy in Pakistan and Afghanistan is confined only to the quantitative representation of the people and neglects its qualitative aspects, depriving the vast populations of their civil, economic and political rights. The workshop comprised of three sections; democracy in theory and practice, democracy in Pakistan and the way forward for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mr. Jami Chandio, who was invited the Chief Guest and trainer, is a writer, scholar, literary critic, political expert and activist. He is also the Executive Director of a Sindh-based think tank, Center for Peace and Civil Society, Hyderabad. Mr. Chandio explained that the spirit of democracy is not confined to any single geographical entity or civilization. Rather, it is a universal human concept which existed in one form or the other in civilizations all over the world in history, and evolved overtime to take the form it is in today. He stated that human civilization broadly witnessed three major periods of transition, progressing from hunter-gatherers to tribal communities, monarchies and, consequently, empires where humans became subjects to sovereigns and the concept of free people seized to exist. The oppression under such a political order culminated in the age of reason which pushed the thought process towards a system that should represent the wishes of the people, such as the modern democratic system. Fast forward a few centuries; emphasizing on...

In Pakistan and Afghanistan, democracy can more aptly be described as ‘government off the people, (government) far (from) people and (government to) buy people,’ stated Mr. Jami Chandio. He was speaking at the Center for Research & Security Studies’ (CRSS) seventh Pak-Afghan youth training workshop on Wednesday, February 21, held under its Afghan Studies Center initiative, which was attended by several young Pakistani and Afghan students and professionals. Contrary to the true application of democracy in its real essence, Mr. Chandio stated, that democracy in Pakistan and Afghanistan is confined only to the quantitative representation of the people and neglects its qualitative aspects, depriving the vast populations of their civil, economic and political rights. The workshop comprised of three sections; democracy in theory and practice, democracy in Pakistan and the way forward for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mr. Jami Chandio, who was invited the Chief Guest and trainer, is a writer, scholar, literary critic, political expert and activist. He is also the Executive Director of a Sindh-based think tank, Center for Peace and Civil Society, Hyderabad. Mr. Chandio explained that the spirit of democracy is not confined to any single geographical entity or civilization. Rather, it is a universal human concept which existed in one form or the other in civilizations all over the world in history, and evolved overtime to take the form it is in today. He stated that human civilization broadly witnessed three major periods of transition, progressing from hunter-gatherers to tribal communities, monarchies and, consequently, empires where humans became subjects to sovereigns and the concept of free people seized to exist. The oppression under such a political order culminated in the age of reason which pushed the thought process towards a system that should represent the wishes of the people, such as the modern democratic system. Fast forward a few centuries; emphasizing on...

Speaking at the 9th Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue at the Center for Research & Security Studies (CRSS) on ‘Uniting against Social Crimes in Pakistan and Afghanistan’ held on Friday, February, 16, 2018, Chief Guest and Speaker Dr. Farzana Bari shed light on the deep-seeded socio-economic inequalities, particularly prevailing poverty, existing in Pakistan and Afghanistan as the drivers setting fertile grounds for increasing social crimes, societal intolerance, and disobedience of the rule of law. Highlighting the role of the state in this regard, she stated that at the core of state’s responsibilities lies its duty to regulate and provide security to its subjects. In order to curb crimes, she emphasized, governments establish certain punishment mechanisms which are implemented as a result of the unspoken social contract between the state and its citizens. Mr. Aized Ali, Project Director CRSS, who was moderating the session, welcomed the participants and thanked Dr. Farzana. He apprised the participants about the ongoing CRSS Pak-Afghan Track 1.5/II Initiative ‘Beyond Boundaries’which is aimed at improving bilateral relations and bridging the gulf of mistrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He further told participants that Afghan Studies Center is an off-shoot of this initiative, aimed at providing a platform to the youth of both countries to interact in a healthy discourse, inculcate passionate debate and exchange ideas for finding common grounds. Introducing the Chief Guest, he stated Dr. Farzana is a widely-respected human rights activist and remained as a university professor at Quaid-i-Azam University for the last 26 years. Additionally, she is an authority on women’s rights and has been actively involved in raising awareness in this regard. Expounding on the social fabrication of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Dr. Bari stated that since long, both neighbors have primarily been engaged in state-building, instead of nation-building, as a result of the protection of...

Speaking at the 9th Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue at the Center for Research & Security Studies (CRSS) on ‘Uniting against Social Crimes in Pakistan and Afghanistan’ held on Friday, February, 16, 2018, Chief Guest and Speaker Dr. Farzana Bari shed light on the deep-seeded socio-economic inequalities, particularly prevailing poverty, existing in Pakistan and Afghanistan as the drivers setting fertile grounds for increasing social crimes, societal intolerance, and disobedience of the rule of law. Highlighting the role of the state in this regard, she stated that at the core of state’s responsibilities lies its duty to regulate and provide security to its subjects. In order to curb crimes, she emphasized, governments establish certain punishment mechanisms which are implemented as a result of the unspoken social contract between the state and its citizens. Mr. Aized Ali, Project Director CRSS, who was moderating the session, welcomed the participants and thanked Dr. Farzana. He apprised the participants about the ongoing CRSS Pak-Afghan Track 1.5/II Initiative ‘Beyond Boundaries’which is aimed at improving bilateral relations and bridging the gulf of mistrust between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He further told participants that Afghan Studies Center is an off-shoot of this initiative, aimed at providing a platform to the youth of both countries to interact in a healthy discourse, inculcate passionate debate and exchange ideas for finding common grounds. Introducing the Chief Guest, he stated Dr. Farzana is a widely-respected human rights activist and remained as a university professor at Quaid-i-Azam University for the last 26 years. Additionally, she is an authority on women’s rights and has been actively involved in raising awareness in this regard. Expounding on the social fabrication of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Dr. Bari stated that since long, both neighbors have primarily been engaged in state-building, instead of nation-building, as a result of the protection of...

A United Nations report released on Wednesday presents a very bleak picture of Pakistan that is yet to make a serious start for women’s development, the majority of whom are deprived of education and basic healthcare. The report finds that 98.8 per cent of women from the poorest rural households are education poor (defined as having only completed six or less years of education), with the rural Pashtun women not only being the most deprived in education but also have the least say in decisions regarding their own health care. Released two years after world leaders had adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the report — Turning Promises into Action: Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda — examines all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and shows their impact on the lives of women and girls. It highlights how the different dimensions of well-being and deprivation are deeply intertwined and suggests measures to tackle existing structural inequalities and turn promises into action. The most deprived population in education comprises rural Pashtun women, report indicates Pakistan is one of the four countries highlighted in the report where 4.9 million women aged between 18 and 49 years are simultaneously deprived in four SDG-related dimensions. Across nine out of 10 dimensions, women and girls from the poorest 20 per cent of households in rural areas fare worse than women and girls from the richest 20 per cent of households in urban areas. Disaggregation by ethnicity revealed further differences. In the case of malnutrition (proxied by a low Body Mass Index), Sindhi women and girls from the poorest rural households fare far worse than any other group across all wealth quintiles and locations. “However, the most disadvantaged ethnic group often varies across indicators, oscillating between the Sindhi, Saraiki and Pashtun. “A closer look at those most likely to be disadvantaged — that is, women in the poorest rural households — suggests that in six of the...