Internal security

The rule of law: concept and practices in Pakistan

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Although Pakistan has a comprehensive constitutional framework and accompanying legal procedures, the rule of law, in practice, is still confined to conventional concepts of internal security and law enforcement. The common perception amongst policymakers and practitioners defines rule of law as being about the control and elimination of crimes, and conventional and non conventional security … Read more

Attack on Chinese engineers in Balochistan

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On August 11, 2018, a suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying Chinese engineers in Balochistan. It later emerged that the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was behind the attack. The attack has raised questions about security to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) especially in Balochistan. Below are comments by some experts on the incident: BLA suicide attack … Read more

General election 2018: Trends of terrorist and political violence

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Although attacks on political leaders and workers have become a regular feature of terrorist violence in Pakistan, frequency of such attacks usually increases before and during election times. Similarly, supporters and workers of different parties are also seen engaged in incidents of political violence in terms of armed clashes as well as attacks during election … Read more

CPEC security developments

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There has been relative improvement in the country’s overall security situation in 2016 that boded well for the security of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as well. However some major attacks by Islamist and sectarian militants groups, mainly in Balochistan – the province that holds a pivotal place in the CPEC due to hosting Gwadar Port … Read more

Killings in Karachi: down, but not out

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With the Rangers-led targeted operation aimed at restoring peace to Karachi entering its fourth year, there was marked improvement in the overall law and order situation in the city in the year 2016. However, even as fatalities from political violence and gang wars sharply declined in Karachi amid the ongoing operation, the city continued to … Read more

Bloodshed in Balochistan

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Contrary to the Balochistan government’s claims of restoration of peace and rooting out terrorist activities in the province, acts of terrorism continued to be reported throughout 2016. Although, in the wake of the National Action Plan (NAP), violence by separatist insurgents receded to some extent, attacks by banned sectarian and other militant extremist groups rose. … Read more

Bordering on blame game

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With several attacks along Pakistan’s western border with Afghanistan, security remained fragile in 2016.The most prominent attack was a suicide bomb during Friday prayers in a mosque in late September, killing 34 people. The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility, arguing the naïve notion that the slain people were part of the pro-government … Read more

PIPS hosts “Inclusive and Secure Pakistan” seminar, calls upon parliamentarians to address the multi-dimensional issue of extremism

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On 25 May 2017, PIPS hosted “Inclusive and Secure Pakistan” seminar, releasing a national policy report on how to counter violent extremism in Pakistan, and discussing debate on the content of that document. Participants of the seminar urged upon the parliamentarians to help confront the issue by instilling a fresh narrative, overseeing policies impacting internal … Read more