There are some similarities and several differences between the situations in Pakistan in recent years and the state of affairs in those Middle Eastern and North African countries where mass uprisings were characterized as the Arab spring over the past one year or so. Distinct factors have been dictatorial regimes, corruption, and lack of basic … Read more
The issue of human rights violations in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) neither receives attention of world human rights organizations nor the international media. International civil society’s role becomes more relevant to push the stakeholders for a permanent solution to Kashmir dispute. Moreover in the era of globalization, the regional economic interdependence necessitates regional and local approaches … Read more
Despite the phenomenal rise of radical ideologies in Pakistan, the country lacks an empirical knowledge base to form counter-strategies. These observations were shared with a visiting high profile European delegation of academics, practitioners and community lobbyists on 24 May 2010 here at PIPS. The delegation was comprised of Dr. Harald Weilnböck, a psychotherapist by profession … Read more
After September 11, 2001 the militant networks have become stronger and well entrenched in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan (FATA); while the militant economy has surpassed the volume of $ 6bn per annum. The dynamics of insurgency in FATA is very complex and intertwined with the recent developments in Afghanistan and thus have … Read more
“The Af-Pak policy of Obama administration envisions many new things for the region, particularly Afghanistan, and there are a lot of ideas floating around Washington. But the problem with these new ideas is three-fold. First these ideas are mostly mutually incompatible and can’t be combined or are difficult to combine. Secondly, no body has a … Read more
“Militants wanted power, not Nizam-e-Adl,” said federal minister for religious affairs while addressing a two days international seminar titled “Countering Extremism: Strategies and Sharing Best Practices” which opened on 4 May in Islamabad. The seminar is organized by the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) in collaboration with the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, … Read more
‘Arabs in Afghan Jihad’ (by Muhammad Amir Rana and Mubasher Bukhari) is a first-ever research effort to outline and comprehend the role of Arab mujahideen and Arab Charities during anti-Soviet jihad in Afghanistan. The entire research work is based on primary sources. Besides identifying and elaborating the interaction of Arab Mujahideen with the Pakistani and … Read more