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Begin New Search Topic Terrorism Political Geography Pakistan Content Type Policy Brief Publication Year within 10 Years

1. The Jihadists’ War in Pakistan after the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Lessons from Al-Qaeda’s Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

Author:
Abdul Sayed
Publication Date:
01-2021
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
The Jamestown Foundation
Abstract:
The changing narratives and operations of al-Qaeda and its Pakistani ally, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in recent years indicate that the anti-state jihadist war in Pakistan will not end with a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 or thereafter (The News, March 1). Recent speeches by the TTP emir, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, to a coalition of senior TTP commanders on the future goals of the war in Pakistan is not the only piece of evidence signifying that this war will continue (Umar Media, August 18, 2020; Umar Media, December 15, 2020). Rather, history also shows this war still has a long way to go. Pakistani Islamists are widely believed to have originally supported al-Qaeda’s war against the Pakistani state due to post-9/11 changes in Pakistan’s foreign policy, which supported the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan that expelled the Taliban regime from Kabul. However, the anti-state jihadist war in Pakistan is deeply rooted in the pre-9/11 complexities of Pakistani politics, which culminated in Islamists enabling al-Qaeda operations within Pakistan immediately after 9/11. The war against the Pakistani government is so deeply entrenched that it will remain a challenge for the country even if the widely accepted jihad against the U.S. “infidel occupier” in Afghanistan and its allies, including Pakistan, is no longer a factor.
Topic:
Terrorism, Islamism, Jihad, and Benazir Bhutto
Political Geography:
Pakistan, Afghanistan, South Asia, and United States of America

2. Securing Punjab’s social & cultural diversity

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the deliberations of the first of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. The first policy dialogue focused on the cultural, religious and social diversity in Punjab with a view to explore how far that had been used or could be used to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Culture, Violent Extremism, Diversity, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

3. Social harmony and equal citizenship

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the deliberations of the second of six provincial-level policy dialogues on social harmony and equal citizenship in Punjab. The second policy dialogue focused on social harmony and equal citizenship in the context of countering violent extremism in Punjab.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Citizenship, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

4. Safe charity: giving to the right hands

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the third provincial-level policy dialogue on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. Held in the provincial capital Lahore, the dialogue discussed how to ensure that charity reaches the right hands, besides exploring the role of social welfare organizations in Punjab.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Charity, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

5. Promoting the culture of dialogue in Punjab

Publication Date:
07-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the findings of the fourth provincial dialogue forum held in Lahore, which explored the role of “dialogue” in Punjab to counter extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Dialogue, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

6. Intellectual and scholarly trends on countering violent extremism in Punjab

Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the fifth of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab. The policy dialogue series is part of the efforts by PIPS to analyse the security and conflict-related issues in Pakistan, with a view to finding practical ways and means to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Intellectual History, Scholarships, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

7. Role of Punjab’s literary and cultural institutions in countering extremism

Publication Date:
08-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes key deliberations of the last of six provincial-level policy dialogues on counter-violent extremism in Punjab organized by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The policy dialogue series was part of the efforts by PIPS to analyze the security and conflict-related issues in Pakistan, with a view to identifying practical ways and means to counter violent extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Culture, Violent Extremism, Literature, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan, India, and Punjab

8. Religious Thought and Conflict

Publication Date:
03-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the finding of the first working group on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE). The group deliberated the mechanism for shaping religion-based narratives against extremists’ violent ideologies. The theme of the group was suggested in the PIPS-proposed CVE model presented in 2016. The group debated what could be done to reduce the appeal of militants who quote their interpretations of religious texts, traditions and precedents from Islamic history to propagate their violent ideologies and justify their actions. It also shared the key contours of the new narrative that counters those held and promoted by the extremists.
Topic:
Religion, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Intellectual History, Conflict, Militant Islam, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

9. Reintegration of Militants

Publication Date:
04-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the second working group on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), which deliberated upon the mechanism for reintegrating militants willing to shun violence and/or denounce the practice of takfeer(declaring fellow Muslims out of creed of Islam)
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Militant Islam, Reintegration, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

10. National Dialogue and Social Contract

Publication Date:
04-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the third working group on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), which deliberatedupon the need for holding national dialogue(s) to address critical politico-philosophical issues in the country, especially those producing and/or supporting extremism, and whether a revised social contract could provide answers.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Philosophy, Social Contract, Dialogue, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

11. Implementing National Action Plan

Publication Date:
04-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the fourth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), which discussed the implementation mechanism of National Action Plan (NAP), the country’s counter-terror plan announced in January 2015.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Counter-terrorism, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

12. Constitution, Citizenship and Governance

Publication Date:
04-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the fifth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE). The meeting explored to what extent is extremism linked to the provision of constitutional rights and physical services provided by the state. Focus was made of how the concept of citizenship is absorbed by people, and how governance is carried out on the ground.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Governance, Violent Extremism, Constitution, Citizenship, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

13. Youth Engagement Program

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This policy brief summarizes the findings of the sixth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE). The meeting, which was part of a PIPS-led exercise to strategize response options to CVE in Pakistan, explored how youth can be engaged beforehand so that they are not radicalized in the future.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, Youth, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

14. Media Engagement Programs

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the seventh working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), which explored how media can be engaged in CVE programs so that it neither glorifies extremists nor propagates radicalizing messages.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Communications, Violent Extremism, Media, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

15. Cultural Diversity and Pluralism

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the eighth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), which examined the spaces for cultural diversity and pluralism in Pakistan and their link to extremism and CVE discourses. Cultural diversity is anathema to an extremist body. One of the first acts of militants has been attacking symbols of cultural diversity.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Culture, Violent Extremism, Pluralism, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

16. Education reforms

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the ninth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), exploring how education in Pakistan can be reformed to curb extremist tendencies.
Topic:
Security, Education, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

17. Internal security and challenges

Publication Date:
05-2017
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS)
Abstract:
This brief summarizes the findings of the tenth working group’s meeting on Counter-Violent Extremism (CVE), exploring how to address internal security challenges including those emanating from extremism.
Topic:
Security, Terrorism, Violent Extremism, and Countering Violent Extremism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

18. Reimagining Pakistan’s Militia Policy

Author:
Yelena Biberman
Publication Date:
04-2015
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Abstract:
If ever a turning point seemed inevitable in Pakistan's militia policy, it was in the aftermath of the Peshawar school massacre in December 2014. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed 152 people, 133 of them children, in the bloodiest terrorist attack in Pakistan's history. The carnage sparked an unprecedented national dialogue about the costs and contradictions of the Pakistani political and military establishment's reliance on violent proxies, such as the Afghan Taliban (from which the TTP originates), for security. Why does Pakistan continue to differentiate between "good" and "bad" militias in the face of the Peshawar massacre? What are the costs of playing the good-bad militia game? What can be done to end Pakistan's dependency on armed nonstate groups? In "Reimagining Pakistan's Militia Policy," Visiting Assistant Professor of Government at Skidmore College and US-Pakistan Program Exchange Fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center, argues that Pakistan's unwillingness to crack down on all terrorist groups is more a product of cold calculation than ideological shortsightedness. Understanding Pakistan's close relationship with militias requires recognizing the strategic logic through which many states outsource violence.
Topic:
Security, Defense Policy, Politics, Terrorism, Military Affairs, and Taliban
Political Geography:
Pakistan

19. Deradicalization Programming in Pakistan

Author:
Selina Adam Khan
Publication Date:
09-2015
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:
The December 2014 terrorist attack in Peshawar that killed 132 schoolchildren forced Pakistan to acknowledge the extent of its ongoing problem with radical Islamist militancy. Islamabad, however, has yet to implement a comprehensive deradicalization strategy. In January 2015, it took a formal step in this direction with its twenty-point National Action Plan in response to the Peshawar attack—a step, but only a first step. If deradicalization is to meet with any success in Pakistan, the national narrative itself needs to change.
Topic:
Conflict Prevention, Political Violence, Islam, and Terrorism
Political Geography:
Pakistan and South Asia

20. Pakistan's Resurgent Sectarian War

Author:
Arif Rafiq
Publication Date:
11-2014
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
United States Institute of Peace
Abstract:
Sectarian violence between Sunni Deobandi and Shia Muslims in Pakistan has escalated in recent years. Most of this violence is perpetrated by local networks, but the sectarian phenomenon also has important ties to regional security dynamics and transnational terrorist networks. Despite sporadic state crackdowns, Pakistan's leading Sunni Deobandi sectarian militant groups have been able to maintain a persistent presence thanks in part to reluctance among mainstream Pakistani military and political leaders to directly confront groups that are sometimes seen as serving utilitarian political interests. Despite this negligence, Sunni Deobandi militants have also established linkages with terrorist groups that target the Pakistani state, such as al-Qaeda and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Rising conflict in the greater Middle East over the past five years has strengthened the sectarian political narrative in Pakistan and emboldened sectarian militant networks on both sides of the conflict.
Topic:
Political Violence, Islam, Religion, Terrorism, Sectarianism, and Sectarian violence
Political Geography:
Pakistan