Research & Policy Studies

The peace nobody believed in

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By Marco Mezzera & Safdar Sial Marco Mezzera is a political analyst and mediation expert with a geographical focus on Asia. In his last position as Senior Adviser at NOREF Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution, he managed, among others, the “Philippines” and the “Military Dialogues” programs, and in-house Track II mediation efforts. Prior to joining … Read more

Sense of lacking pervades thinking of Balochistan youth: Study

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A study by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) indicates a troubling impact of instability on the thinking and outlook of the youth in Balochistan. Based on observations and surveys of over hundred university students in Balochistan, the study also hints at the dysfunction of the education system and its inability to inculcate basic intellectual … Read more

Policy Brief Policy Brief 1: Afghanistan: urgent need for displacement management strategy

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Executive summary Forced displacement has been an unfortunate but near constant challenge facing millions of Afghans over the last four decades. Throughout this time, armed conflict has been the biggest driver causing countless Afghans to be internally displaced, or fleeing their country in search of safety. To this day, involuntary displacement keeps millions of Afghans … Read more

Decades of mental conditioning responsible for anti-minority hostility in Pakistan: Speakers

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QUETTA – PR: Speakers at a workshop said policies in the past decades were responsible for the progressive radicalization of the society. Decades of mental conditioning through education, ideological indoctrination, and other means has led to faith-based polarization and anti-minority hostility in Pakistan. In the contemporary environment, members of minority religious groups find it hard … Read more

The Baloch Insurgency in 2019

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Although the current phase of Baloch insurgency is the longest in the history of Balochistan, some critics say Baloch separatists have failed to achieve their objectives. As a result, the Baloch underground organizations have become radicalized. In this context, they cite the example of the Majeed Brigade, the suicide squad within the Balochistan Liberation Army … Read more

2019: Violence and Other Faith-based Incidence

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Besides religious and sectarian minorities, places of religious significance have also been regularly targeted in militant extremist across the country over the last 15 years. In May 2019, at least eight people were killed in a suicide bombing outside the shrine of the one of the country’s most revered Sufi shrines in the city of … Read more

Omar Saeed Sheikh’s acquittal in Daniel Pearl case and implications

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By Muhammad Amir Rana In a surprise verdict, the Sindh High Court (SHC) has overturned the murder conviction of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was found guilty of the kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, and has sentenced him to seven years in jail for the lesser charge of kidnapping. As … Read more