ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised the launch its latest book, ‘The Return of the Taliban: International and Regional Perspectives,’ edited by Director Amina Khan.

The Chief Guest for the event was Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan.

Distinguished discussants included Mr. Zahid Hussain, Journalist and Analyst; Ambassador Omar Samad, Non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Centre, Washington; and Ms. Rangina Hamidi, Former Minister of Education, Afghanistan.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General, ISSI; Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BOG, ISSI; and Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA also spoke on the occasion.

Launched our new Book: “The Return of the Taliban: Intn’l & Regional Perspectives”, covering their 3 years in power. SR Amb.Asif Durrani & other eminent speakers from key stakeholder nations share deep insights into evolving landscape and hi-light challenges & opportunities. pic.twitter.com/qMivfD3egx

— Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (@ISSIslamabad) August 28, 2024

In his address, Ambassador Asif Durrani appreciated ISSI for the launch of the book, underlining that individual contributions of scholars on Afghanistan and the region offer a better insight into the governance aspects of the country since the takeover by the Afghan Interim Government in 2021.

On terrorism, he said that valuable insights by the authors should help policymakers and security community to take a serious note and tailor their responses.

Talking about the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship, he said that the two countries are bound in a symbiotic relationship and have suffered together in the last four decades. It was important for Afghanistan to address the issues relating to cross-border terrorism.

Ambassador Asif Durrani concluded by saying that given the neglect that Afghanistan faces, the book is a breath of fresh air for scholars searching for intellectual inputs about Afghanistan.

Expressing his views, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood stated that the volume comes out at an important time, just as the Taliban rule marks completion of three years. He further said that August 2021 indeed marked another crucial turning point in the history of Afghanistan, as the Taliban regained power. This was a development fraught with wide implications for the region and the world. The concomitant completion of withdrawal of US forces further enhanced the salience of that moment. Ever since, the international community’s attention has been focused on questions relating to governance, security, and human rights issues as well as regional and international diplomacy.

Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also said that Pakistan has long stressed that a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in its vital interest.

Similarly, regional economic integration and connectivity including through initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), would greatly benefit Afghanistan, Pakistan and the broader region. For this to materialise, however, sustainable peace remains indispensable requirement. The interim government in Kabul needs to abide by the pledges they made in Doha, relating to inclusivity, respect for the rights of all Afghans, and above all, not allowing its territory to be used against any country. The Afghan side must address Pakistan’s specific concerns relating to terrorism, in an effective, credible and sustainable manner.

With meaningful forward movement on this account, he underlined, the two countries should be able to work together to realise the full potential of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations in all dimensions.

While introducing the book, Ms. Amina Khan said that CAMEA’s 4th edited book comes out at a very important juncture in Afghanistan’s history, as the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ completes three years in power as the de facto, though not de jure, political authority in Afghanistan.

Ms. Amina Khan added that over the past 3 years, the Taliban’s governing structure has evolved and taken shape, into what can be defined as an authoritarian yet selectively pragmatic governing style. The IEA have managed to establish a fair degree of stability and security throughout the country. They have increased their diplomatic outreach and enhanced trade with neighboring and regional countries.

Ms. Amina Khan concluded by saying that achieving durable peace necessitates a comprehensive approach on the part of the international community but more so the Islamic Emirate, who must fulfill their responsibilities by ensuring governance is inclusive, responsible, accountable and one that serves the Afghan people.

While expressing her views, Ms. Rangina Hamidi appreciated the diverse perspectives in the book and stated that in her opinion, the Taliban movement is not strictly Pashtun movement, although the movement mainly comprises of Pashtuns. She further said that the Pashtun people have suffered on both sides of the border.

Ms. Rangina Hamidi spoke of the importance of education for both boys and girls and lamented the restrictions on girl’s education and women’s rights. She concluded by saying that while the Taliban have not changed, the international community must promote engagement as there was no alternative and no military solution.

In his remarks, Ambassador Omar Samad said that Afghanistan is a complex country and this comes across in many of the chapters in this book, not only as a pre and post-colonial nation state in the region with shifting allegiances and emerging power centers.

Ambassador Omar Samad also said that the country is also a multi-ethnic society, a geostrategic linchpin, a resilient and unconquerable land, a proxy battlefield, and as a crossroad for trade and movement of people and ideas over the centuries.

He concluded by saying that it is incumbent on the Islamic Emirate leadership to seek stability and prosperity.

Mr. Zahid Hussain, in his remarks, stated that the book’s timing is ideal, given the Taliban’s unexpected return to power after twenty years of war.

While legitimate concerns exist regarding women’s education and human rights, the Taliban now fully control Afghanistan and are not isolated despite lacking formal recognition. He stressed the need for Afghanistan and Pakistan to work together, particularly on issues like the TTP, and emphasized resolving other issues.

Ultimately, he argued that the Taliban must evolve internally to gain international recognition.

Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, in his concluding remarks, was of the view that the book gives several perspectives, giving a holistic picture of Afghanistan and is a valuable addition to the current discourse.

The book includes individual chapters form scholars, experts and practitioners from Pakistan, China, Russia, Iran, Central Asian Republics, Gulf States, Japan, Europe, US and Afghanistan.

The event was attended by a cross-section of people including academics, practitioners, foreign diplomats, and members of civil society and the media.

LAHORE, Pakistan: The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) organized a briefing in Lahore on Wednesday to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the landmark judgment on minorities’ rights (SMC No. 1/2014) authored by the former Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussian Jillani.

The speakers included the Executive Director at CSJ Peter Jacob, Saroop Ijaz Advocate, and Saqib Jillani Advocate while Naina Samson was the master of ceremony.

The briefing was attended by lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders, wherein the speakers raised their serious concerns over the lack of seriousness on the part of the federal and provincial governments to address human rights violations, and called upon the government to take concrete measures to protect religious freedom and minorities’ rights in accordance with the directions of the Judgment on minorities rights.

Speaking on the occasion, Peter Jacob expressed deep resentment over the persistent non-compliance with the Supreme Court Judgment on minorities’ rights, citing systemic weaknesses at all tiers of governance and the lack of progress made by federal and provincial government institutions over the past decade.

Peter Jacob said that the executive’s continued failure to develop a curriculum in line with Article 22(1) of the Constitution of Pakistan, along with its half-hearted attempts to establish a national commission for minorities’ rights in conformity with the UN Paris Principles on national human rights institutions, amounts to contempt of court.

The CSJ executive director urged the government to make serious efforts to address the dysfunction within implementing bodies, and emphasized the need for a manifested will and commitment to fully comply with court orders, to protect minorities’ rights, and to address the broader challenges hindering the country’s democratic development.

Peter Jacob noted that the Supreme Court’s implementation bench has not conducted a hearing for over a year and a half.

Therefore, he called for the reconstitution of the implementation bench to resume regular proceedings and urged the court to consider empowering the One-man Commission with contempt powers, which would significantly enhance the effectiveness of the commission and improve the implementation of the judgment.

The Advocate Supreme Court Saqib Jillani stressed the need for coordinated efforts across all branches of government including the executive, parliament, and judiciary as well as all other state institutions, to implement the constitutional promise of equality and non-discrimination for all citizens of Pakistan.

Saqib Jillani emphasized that the Supreme Court needs to adopt a more proactive role in ensuring the enforcement of its directives in the judgment of 2014 regarding minorities’ rights. He expressed the need for all tiers of courts in Pakistan, including High Courts and trial courts to approach cases involving minorities and other vulnerable groups with greater empathy and compassion. An empathetic approach to justice will lead to a significant and transformative improvement in the quality of justice in Pakistan.

Saroop Ijaz Advocate stated that the findings and directives of the judgment had the potential of reforms and scope to contribute to advancing religious freedom, and building a tolerant society. Unfortunately, the federal and provincial governments failed to capitalize on this verdict to realize the equality of rights and respect for diversity in Pakistan. He said that the lack of compliance with this judgment is due to a lack of capacity and political will among government stakeholders.

Saroop Ijaz underlined that it is the government’s responsibility to implement court directives, therefore, the government must give attention to the recommendations for effective implementation at both provincial and federal government levels to protect the minorities’ rights in the light of the judgment, and consider bringing the matter of non-compliance to the political agenda, particularly in cabinet and standing committees.

The CSJ’s assessment report “A Decade of Non-Compliance” was launched which assessed the level of compliance with the Supreme Court verdict on minorities’ rights.

The report revealed that none of the original seven directions issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan were fully complied with by either the federal or provincial governments despite the implementation Bench of the Supreme Court conducted 34 hearings, and issued a total of 89 supplementary directions over the last decade.

The report revealed that the Sindh government achieved the highest compliance score with 9 out of 25, followed by the Punjab government with an 8/25 score. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments achieved implementation scores of 6/25 and 5/25 respectively. The federal government had the lowest compliance score, reflecting stalled progress in adhering to court directions.