Central Asia

Factors Impeding Economic Linkages & Integration

Raza Rahman Khan Qazi — 2024-01-10

The paper looks into the factors which have prevented large-scale or desirable level of economic integration between South and Central Asian economies and analysing the cost of this lack of economic integration in the backdrop of immense potential of inter-regional trade, energy supply from the former to the latter and opportunities of the overall economic integration and development. Even after three decades of the Central Asian Republics’ (CARs) independence, South Asian countries, particularly Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, have failed to access and utilize the vast hydrocarbon reserves and economic opportunities offered by Central Asia by linking their economies to the latter. Central Asia once served as an important commercial hub of the old Silk Route and is a vital intersection in Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) which not only aims at connecting China with West Asia, South Asia and Europe but also all-out interregional connectivity.

US Drawdown from Afghanistan and Its Impact on Kashmir Conflict

Faizur Rehman — 2024-01-10

This study will focus on the US drawdown from Afghanistan and its implication for the greater regional peace and stability in general and the Kashmir conflict in particular. The phase-wise drawdown of the United States forces from Afghanistan has generated concerns about the peace in the country and the continuity of technical and financial support for the Afghan National Army (ANA). The US drawdown has been accompanied by a sustained campaign by the Taliban to expand their area of influence leaving the ANA struggling to maintain control. Due to the Indo-Pak rivalry, Afghanistan is being drawn into a civil war, which shaped a parallel proxy war in Afghanistan and Jammu & Kashmir. In such circumstances, there will be no peace in the region unless these two neighbours do not sit together and talk about a common approach to Kabul and Kashmir otherwise Pakistan’s support for Kashmiri militants will remain unchanged.

Baloch Insurgency and External Involvement amid the Taliban rise in Afghanistan: Implications for Pakistan

Asma Rashid — 2024-01-10

Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan; the US-influenced government of Ashraf Ghani has surrendered, a two-decade-long war ended, and the Taliban proclaimed their acting government on 7 September 2021 and resumed the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan. Pakistan is in support of an inclusive Taliban-led government in Afghanistan and providing Aid to the country for rebuilding and reconstruction of the affected neighbor while hoping for recognition from the international community. Taliban’s regime in Afghanistan is a game-changer for South Asian regional politics as now China, Russia, and Iran's interests lie in this area. The Study is an attempt to examine the effects of the Taliban’s government on Pakistan’s national security, integrity, and economy with special concern for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and Foreign Relations by taking the Baluchistan insurgency as an example. This research will answer intriguing questions such as how the Taliban’s government of Afghanistan affects the Baluch insurgency. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Taliban-led Afghan government deepens Pakistan's woes or serves the country's national interests. This paper argues that Baluch insurgents were previously hiding in Afghanistan and unstable Afghan territory was used against Pakistan by the enemies to exacerbate of Baluch insurgency and escalate terrorism to destabilize Pakistan. This study also argues that the New Taliban Government in Afghanistan has an amalgamation of encouraging and detrimental outcomes for Pakistan as supporting the Afghan Taliban government has visible impacts on regional politics and the dynamics of Pakistan’s relations with the United States, Iran, and with regional powers, Russia, and China.

Gender Discrimination and its Impact on Pakistani Women Married to Afghan Refugees (1980-2018)

Bushra Manzoor — 2024-01-10

Gender discrimination in nationality law of Pakistan not only undermines women’s equality in citizenship but also violates their right and results in hardships for their families. State’s Nationality law that discriminate women to have equal rights of citizenship undermines them to access healthcare, education, employment, family unity, inheritance, mobility and property rights. The current research highlights the problems faced by the women married to Afghan refugees through thematic and discourse analysis of the interviewees using CAQDA, i.e., MAXQDA-2022 software. The study is qualitative in nature and the analysis is based on a coding model. The sample is taken through snowball sampling of the population under study. The research shows how unequal nationality laws violate women right to get citizenship and obstruct their equality in the family. The Pakistani law of citizenship also impacts the enjoyment of women right by them as well as their children and spouses.

Gender equality in nationality laws is not only fundamental to equal citizenship of women but it also support families’ wellbeing, children rights to identity and sustainable development. Thereby, it will benefit the society as a whole.

Reconstructing the Buddhist’s Monastic Society in Hazara from the 3rd Century BC to 5th Century CE: An Archaeological and Historical Approach

Muhammad Zahoor — 2024-04-16

The great difficulty in reconstructing the origin and development of Buddhism in the Hazara region is due to the absence of Buddhist literature and limited archaeological explorations. Many scholars believe that Ashoka was responsible for the spread of Buddhist activities both in and outside the Indian subcontinent. There is no doubt that Buddhism was not spread to the north-western part of the sub-continent including the Hazara, during the lifetime of Buddha. The Hazara also did not escape the notice of the Mauryan emperor Aśoka (3rd century BCE) who not only installed his proclamations, the Mansehra Rock Edicts but also built 200ft high stupa at Machikot Abbottabad that is still intact. The present research aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the Buddhist monastic society that emerged in the Hazara, the northernmost region of Pakistan from the 3^rd century BC to the 5^th century CE based on archaeological and textual evidence. Archaeological evidence such as inscriptions, stupas, and monastic remains from this period provided insights into the early establishment of Buddhist monastic society.