Current Projects

An Open Letter to the Taliban

An American who helped open secret negotiations with the group calls for them to accept a ceasefire and peace talks with the Afghan government. Your February 14, 2018, open letter to the American people asked us to “evaluate the future of American forces in light of the prevailing realities” in Afghanistan. I can answer only for myself, as an academic and former American diplomat who has been trying to understand Afghanistan’s realities for thirty-five years. Many Afghans claim that any answer should go not to you but to the Pakistani generals and intelligence operatives who shelter your movement. I disagree. I have interacted with you directly and indirectly since January, 1997, when I chaired a meeting at Columbia University with a delegation you sent to New York to ask for Afghanistan’s seat at the United Nations. I have concluded that your opponents underestimate your independence and abilities. But you may also underestimate theirs. On Wednesday, the Afghan government will host a second meeting of the Kabul Conference, an effort to begin peace talks, which will be attended by twenty-three countries. The United Nations announced earlier this month that ten thousand Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in Afghanistan in 2017, two-thirds of them in anti-government attacks. You highlight the civilian casualties inflicted by U.S. air power, the shame of Guantánamo, and the losses suffered by American soldiers and their families. I would cite the thousands of Afghan civilian casualties inflicted by your attacks and suicide bombings. The International Criminal Court opened an investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan last fall. In less than three months, Afghans submitted accounts of 1.17 million atrocities. I prefer to respond here to your appeal for dialogue. Few would disagree with your call “to solve the Afghan issue through peaceful dialogues,” if they thought it were possible. On January 29th, after your organization used a car bomb disguised as an...

Humanitarian Approach Key to Afghan Refugees Issue: Pak-Afghan Joint Committee

We had no serious complaints of Afghan refugees’ involvement in the acts of terrorism in Pakistan. The poor refugees have nothing to do with security situation. Also there is no serious law and order issue or conflict witnessed between the local communities in Pakistan and Afghan refugees. Pakistan has prepared a time and resource specific plan which is under the consideration by the cabinet. We are working in close coordination with the UNHCR, Afghan embassy and Ambassador Dr. Zakhilwal. The present government in Afghanistan is far more serious than its predecessors. All repatriation should happen in close coordination to allow a dignified return. These were the remarks made by the Federal Minister for SAFRON, Abdul Qadir Baloch during the second round of Pak-Afghan Joint Committee (PAJC) meeting in Islamabad, organized by the Center for Research and Studies (CRSS) as part of its track II initiative Beyond Boundaries. Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch said that Pakistan was treating refugees issue purely on humanitarian grounds; separating it from the security or political domain. We also dealt it as our international responsibility. The educational and health facilities in Pakistan were available to the Afghan refugees. “I am glad to find out that 50000 people educated in Pakistan are serving in Afghanistan presently”, he said. He further noted that Pakistan had successfully issued 900 thousand Afghan Citizenship Cards (ACC) to freshly documented Afghans. Out of the 6000 educational scholarships for Afghan students to study in Pakistani universities, the first tranche of 3000 is completed, while the second one is under way. The technical/ vocational training programs for Afghan youth are also ongoing and doing well. The participating PAJC members urged their respective governments to maintain as far as possible the principle that the refugee issue is a humanitarian issue and they should not politicize it. They should work together with the UNHCR and other UN-agencies...

Role of Youth Key to Social Cohesion – Ulasi Taroon Workshops

Deviation from constitution, and giving up on rule of law lead to the conflict and destruction of the social fabric of the society. Cultivating youth in the core constitutional values is the key recipe for social peace and harmony. Human rights education can not only help protecting ones’ own rights but also the other’s rights in the society. The government and its institutions cannot implement the laws and policies alone, without the active role and support of public. The youth ought to realize the importance of seeking knowledge in all circumstances and it has nothing to do with degrees. Rule of laws means supremacy of law, i.e. everyone is subject to law and accountability including citizens and rulers. There were the remarks made by the speakers during the second round of Ulasi Taroon, Youth Capacity Building Workshops held at Women University Mardan, from February 24-25, 2018. Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director, Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) said that the deviation from constitution, and giving up on rule of law not only led to the conflict and fragility but also destroyed the social fabric of the society. As future leaders, the youth should be considerate of the criticality of the core constitutional values as a recipe for social peace and harmony in the society. “Human rights education is critical for any society to not only prevent but also preempt the violation of law and conflict. We need to believe in the social values and abide by social contract to create respect for others”, he said. ”We believe that only by sticking to the constitution, by promoting respect for the universal declaration of human rights, and by creating awareness on the UN indicators for rule of law and equal citizenry can we help rationalize the conversation on governance, national unity, peace and harmony. For this critical thinking is the first tool, to create a critical human mass that could potentially serve as the harbinger of critical thinking and thus...

Pakistan Gets off the Hook for Another Three Months!

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...

Constitutional Democracy The Only Way Forward For Pakistan & Afghanistan

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...

Constitutional Democracy The Only Way Forward For Pakistan & Afghanistan

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...

CRSS’ 9th Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue Highlights “Poverty & Conflict As Key Drivers For Breeding Social Crimes”

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...

CRSS’ 9th Pak-Afghan Youth Dialogue Highlights “Poverty & Conflict As Key Drivers For Breeding Social Crimes”

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...

Ulasi Taroon Showcase: Respect for Fundamental Human Rights

The fifth radio program as part of Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on the topic of “Respect for Fundamental Human Rights.” The program – broadcast on February 02, 2018 - discussed the importance of respecting fundamental human rights of all the citizens as a recipe for social cohesion in the society. The guest on phone, Prof. Dr. Fakhrul Islam, Director, Pakistan Studies Center, University of Peshawar said that the articles 8 to 28 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan clearly describe the fundamental human rights available to the citizens - irrespective the gender, caste or religion - which are universal and indivisible. There is a dire need to reconnect the society with the core constitutional values of tolerance, equality, respect and inclusion to ameliorate the extremist attitudes and intolerant behaviors. The first guest on show, Sana Gulzar, social activist said that from the right to education to the right to food, it was a legal obligation on state to deliver fundamental human rights to all the citizens indiscriminately. It's also the primary responsibility of the state to protect fundamental human rights of the citizens at both federal and provincial levels. If all the forms of media are utilized for the promotion of fundamental human rights for all citizens, it can have a massive outreach and create a great impact. The collaboration of state and civil society can be crucial in promoting the human rights and values critical to social peace and cohesion. “The involvement of state institutions into other tasks does not exempt them from fulfilling their core responsibility of human rights protection”, said the Bureau Chief of Geo News, Peshawar, Mr. Mehmood Jan Babar, during radio report. The second guest on show, Mr. Hasan Madani, religious scholar who is also the caretaker of a madrassa said that not only the human rights but the responsibilities of citizens also...

48pc Pakistani Women Have No Say in Health Matters: UN

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...