Despite best efforts to reset ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, major breakthroughs are rare. At root lies mistrust, which thrives on misperception about each other. These should be overcome, should the two countries really want to move forward. These thoughts came in a seminar “Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations: Exploring the Way Forward”, which PIPS organized with the … Read more
The contribution of Pakistani soldiers in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia, from 1993 to 1995, is worth remembering to promote goodwill on behalf of Pakistan. Additionally, there is a need to further debate the concept of peacekeeping in general, so as to make it more effective. These views were reflected in a one-day … Read more
It is heartening to note that the latest National Internal Security Policy (NISP), released in June 2018, has taken input from PIPS’s work in this regard. PIPS suggestions, in particular those covered in its strategy document “National Strategy of Inclusive Pakistan”, have contributed in the government’s policy. The new NISP contextualizes the problem of extremism … Read more
Participants at a two-day international conference on regional connectivity of South Asia explored the possibility of connecting one of the least integrated regions of the world, South Asia, and whether China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will be able to do so. They also explored the linkages between connectivity and stability, with one contributing to … Read more
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) engaged 30 participants from Punjab as well as Azad Kashmir in the third of a series of workshop on interfaith harmony. Held on May 9-10, 2018, the workshop “Engaging on freedom of faith and inter-faith harmony in Pakistan” was designed to explore ways of working for the promotion of … Read more
In a second round of workshop on interfaith harmony, held on April 20-21, 2018 in Karachi, Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) engaged around 20 people from Sindh and Balochistan. The workshop “Engaging on freedom of faith and inter-faith harmony in Pakistan” was designed to explore ways of working for the promotion of faith-based harmony … Read more
On 11th and 12th April 2018, Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) conducted a workshop on “Engaging on freedom of faith and inter-faith harmony in Pakistan”, in Islamabad. It was attended by around 20 experts, faith leaders, and development professionals who have worked in the domain of interfaith harmony, from Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, and … Read more
On January 24, 2018, PIPS launched the outcome of its recent research study in form of a report titled “After study hours: exploring the madrassa mindset.” The event, which entailed at-length discussion on findings of the report as well as other aspects of madrassa education, was attended by scholars including religious, civil society representatives, and … Read more
Ever since its release, “Pakistan Security Report 2017” has been quoted extensively by media; leading newspapers of Pakistan also wrote editorials on the findings of the report, suggesting that the findings be taken seriously. The News, a leading national newspaper, presented the report’s findings to warn against repeating the “mistake of focusing exclusively on the … Read more
Speakers noted at the launching ceremony of Pakistan Security Report 2017 that despite a reported decrease in the incidents of terrorist violence in the year there was little to suggest that a coherent state response was behind this decrease or the factors of militancy and extremism had been eliminated. No was there any visible plan … Read more