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| Title | Abstract | Action(s) |
|---|---|---|
| CPEC and the Socio-Economic Development of Balochistan: Challenges and Prospects | ABSTRACT Asia was once a trade route for the world and entire world used silk route for locomotion of goods in the past. In 2013, China announced revival of ancient Silk route under Belt and road initiative (BRI) initiative with an aim to connect China with seventy-eight countries across the globe. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of the six corridors of BRI. CPEC connects Pakistan’s coastal city Gwadar with Xinjiang province of China. CPEC has positively added value to the already existing geo-strategic importance of Pakistan, and Balochistan province in particular. The present research underscores the role of CPEC in uplifting the socioeconomic condition of Balochistan, and challenges lying in mainstreaming CPEC projects in the province. The research has highlighted the internal dynamics of social organization of Baloch society and socio-economic issues, as well as the role of anti-Pakistan actors in sabotaging the CPEC projects to refrain Pakistan from attainting perpetual social stability and economic prosperity. This research aims to explore and comprehend the project's internal and external issues and offers policy suggestions for resolving them. In order to ensure the success of CPEC, it is important to comprehend the nature and possible consequences of significant difficulties in Balochistan, such as insurgency, extreme religious terrorism, and external assistance for such elements. This research outlines the obstacles that CPEC will encounter and suggests policy measures to address them, providing insight into the issues that need to be resolved for the project to be successful. |
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| Impact of Abraham Accords on Iran’s National Security | ABSTRACT This study focuses on the changing political dynamics of the Middle East region after the Abraham Accords. The Trump administration facilitated the deal and thereby the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan recognized Israel. There are many underlying reasons for signing the pact, these motivations include political, economic as well and security. One of the major reasons is the threat from Iran. All the signatories of the Abraham Accords share rivalry with Iran, the security threats from Tehran have pushed the Arabs and Israel to join hands with each other. The study found that Israel’s main concern of security is Iran and its extensive network of proxies; likewise, Iran’s main fear is the United States, some Arab states, and Israel. So, the signing of the Abraham Accords appears as a nightmare for Iran and the Arab-Israeli rapprochement indicates serious fallouts for Tehran. The Abraham Accords directly impact the national security of Iran; hence, Iran uses proxies i.e., Iran exerts its influence over various institutes and non-state actors to achieve various security objectives to counter the underlying threats. The thesis finds that Tehran has been effective in maintaining a balance between its relationships with political leaders and its proxy clients thus far. Later the study examined that the Abraham Accords have further consolidated the relations between Tehran and some other states and non-state actors which share common objectives i.e., they oppose the United States, Israel, and some Arab states and support the Palestinian cause. It is determined that Iran will be able to accomplish its foreign policy objectives and increase its influence at a reduced cost by using proxy clients, provided that it has the flexibility to cut ties with them when necessary. The study is qualitative and uses secondary sources such as books, articles and updated online news and reports. |
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| IMPACT OF EVOLVING DOCTRINES ON CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN | Abstract This thesis analyzes the impact of military doctrines on the conflict transformation between India and Pakistan through the prism of the stability-instability paradox and coercive spectrum. The nuclear weapons development and subsequent cross-border terrorism/proxies guided the two states to introduce offensive military doctrines which in turn led to conflict transformation by increasing military interaction while decreasing the level of violence. The primary questions addressed in the study are why has Indo-Pakistan reliance on offensive military doctrines increased after the development of nuclear weapon programs? How have evolving military doctrines led to conflict transformation between India and Pakistan? Case study design with mixed method and deductive reasoning are used in the thesis. Both the primary and secondary sources of data are used while adhering to in-depth interviews and document analysis techniques. The study finds that India and Pakistan fought large-scale wars employing brute force in the prenuclear era while both states employed coercive strategies such as compellence and deterrence to fight a low-intensity conflict (LIC) in line with the logic of stability-instability paradox in the post nuclear era. The study further finds that there is a significant transformation in the conflict where large-scale wars might not be possible due to Mutual Assured Destruction but offensive military doctrines have made the surgical strikes as a renewed pattern of bilateral likely engagement. The introduction of offensive military doctrines has reduced the intensity of violence and increased space for military operations with serious accidental and escalation risks attached. Thus, a new mechanism is offered to transform the two states’ offensive doctrines into defensive mode for regional strategic stability. Key Words: Military Doctrine, Conflict Transformation, Nuclear Weapons, Terrorism, Crisis |
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| “FIFTH- GENERATION WARFARE AND THE BATTLE OF NARRATIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS (2014-2022): A CASE STUDY OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN” | This thesis investigates the war of narratives on social media between India and Pakistan and its impact on their national images. In the present era, warfare techniques have changed, and new methods of warfare, such as media propaganda warfare, the war of narratives, and fifthgeneration warfare, are filling the gaps. In the fifth-generation warfare, countries attempt to undermine each other through information operations rather than military conflicts. Countries are waging ideological, political, social, economic, digital, and cultural wars against one another. The current scenario involves narratives building on social media, which has become a powerful tool. Social media platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, have become influential tools of fifth-generation warfare, used to drive radicalization and violence through disinformation campaigns. In the case of India and Pakistan, they have been engaged in continuous disinformation operations against each other. Since 2014, India has adopted various warfare means against Pakistan. Various Indian groups continue to publish narratives to damage the image of Pakistan in the international community. On the other hand, Pakistan has developed a comprehensive counter-strategy to overcome fifth-generation warfare. In light of the aforementioned context, this thesis thoroughly analyzes how the war of narratives between India and Pakistan evolved using social media tools. The thesis follows a timeline between 2014 and 2022, considering three events for assessment: Terrorism, the Pulwama attack, and the demise of the Imran Khan government. While only two platforms, namely YouTube and Twitter, are chosen to assess these events, this thesis also presents some recommendations regarding how Pakistan can manage the war of narratives towards India in the future. |
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| “FIFTH- GENERATION WARFARE AND THE BATTLE OF NARRATIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS (2014-2022): A CASE STUDY OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN” | This thesis investigates the war of narratives on social media between India and Pakistan and its impact on their national images. In the present era, warfare techniques have changed, and new methods of warfare, such as media propaganda warfare, the war of narratives, and fifthgeneration warfare, are filling the gaps. In the fifth-generation warfare, countries attempt to undermine each other through information operations rather than military conflicts. Countries are waging ideological, political, social, economic, digital, and cultural wars against one another. The current scenario involves narratives building on social media, which has become a powerful tool. Social media platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, have become influential tools of fifth-generation warfare, used to drive radicalization and violence through disinformation campaigns. In the case of India and Pakistan, they have been engaged in continuous disinformation operations against each other. Since 2014, India has adopted various warfare means against Pakistan. Various Indian groups continue to publish narratives to damage the image of Pakistan in the international community. On the other hand, Pakistan has developed a comprehensive counter-strategy to overcome fifth-generation warfare. In light of the aforementioned context, this thesis thoroughly analyzes how the war of narratives between India and Pakistan evolved using social media tools. The thesis follows a timeline between 2014 and 2022, considering three events for assessment: Terrorism, the Pulwama attack, and the demise of the Imran Khan government. While only two platforms, namely YouTube and Twitter, are chosen to assess these events, this thesis also presents some recommendations regarding how Pakistan can manage the war of narratives towards India in the future. |
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| “FIFTH- GENERATION WARFARE AND THE BATTLE OF NARRATIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS (2014-2022): A CASE STUDY OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN” | This thesis investigates the war of narratives on social media between India and Pakistan and its impact on their national images. In the present era, warfare techniques have changed, and new methods of warfare, such as media propaganda warfare, the war of narratives, and fifthgeneration warfare, are filling the gaps. In the fifth-generation warfare, countries attempt to undermine each other through information operations rather than military conflicts. Countries are waging ideological, political, social, economic, digital, and cultural wars against one another. The current scenario involves narratives building on social media, which has become a powerful tool. Social media platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, have become influential tools of fifth-generation warfare, used to drive radicalization and violence through disinformation campaigns. In the case of India and Pakistan, they have been engaged in continuous disinformation operations against each other. Since 2014, India has adopted various warfare means against Pakistan. Various Indian groups continue to publish narratives to damage the image of Pakistan in the international community. On the other hand, Pakistan has developed a comprehensive counter-strategy to overcome fifth-generation warfare. In light of the aforementioned context, this thesis thoroughly analyzes how the war of narratives between India and Pakistan evolved using social media tools. The thesis follows a timeline between 2014 and 2022, considering three events for assessment: Terrorism, the Pulwama attack, and the demise of the Imran Khan government. While only two platforms, namely YouTube and Twitter, are chosen to assess these events, this thesis also presents some recommendations regarding how Pakistan can manage the war of narratives towards India in the future. |
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| Saudi-Arabia Iran Rivalry: Implications for Pakistan's Foreign Policy (2015-2021) | Saudi-Arabia and Iran holds a non-cordial history of relationship since cold war. Their relationship was not only based on theological differences (sectarian) but they also had geopolitical concerns including the leadership role in the region, oil politics, bilateral grievances, multi-ethnicity, Arab vs Persian dominance, and differences to pursue interests with regional and international actors. Their confrontation had engulfed the other Middle Eastern countries into regional politics and the intensification of proxy wars like in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Whereas, the Saudi-Iran hostility had influenced the regional politics, it also had implications for the neighbouring states. The Iranian revolution of 1979 further created a divide between the two countries as the influence of Islamic Revolution started exporting to other regional countries to which Saudi-Arabia was apprehensive. The two regional power houses had pushed the neighbouring nations into a variety of partnerships. Pakistan, being a neighbour of Iran and a close-ally with Saudi Arabia had caught into a paradox of balancing its relationship with both the countries. In contrast to regional political perspectives, Pakistan's foreign policy toward Iran and Saudi Arabia remains critical, including the high stakes of major powers in the Middle East, creating less room for Pakistan to follow an independent foreign policy and simultaneously maintaining close ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia. This research focuses upon examining the deeper understanding of Saudi-Iran rivalry and its causes that led to a complex security environment in the Middle East. This research dissertation is a case study of Pakistan, which analyses the implications of Confrontational Saudi-Iran relations on Pakistan and its foreign policy. This research argues that Pakistan faced a critical scenario vis à-vis its relationship with Shiite-Iran and Sunni-Wahabi Saudi-Arabia that posed a threat of sectarian violence in Pakistan. Pakistan’s population was polarized in Shiite and Sunni sects that remain vulnerable to sectarian violence in the country. Similarly, owing to weak economic structure, Pakistan remains close to Saudi-Arabia for financial and military support. It enchanted Iran from Pakistan that have consequences for Pakistan’s security on the western border with Afghanistan. Likewise, Pakistan was energy deficient country. Both Pakistan and Iran would had built a strong bilateral cooperation in energy sector. But Saudi Arabia influenced by western inclination remain subversive to Pak-Iran cooperation. In the prism of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) Complex economic, strategic and political issues were examined through actions taken by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in various regional contexts. Keywords: Saudi-Arabia. Iran, Middle East, Foreign Policy |
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| Saudi-Arabia Iran Rivalry: Implications for Pakistan's Foreign Policy (2015-2021) | Saudi-Arabia and Iran holds a non-cordial history of relationship since cold war. Their relationship was not only based on theological differences (sectarian) but they also had geopolitical concerns including the leadership role in the region, oil politics, bilateral grievances, multi-ethnicity, Arab vs Persian dominance, and differences to pursue interests with regional and international actors. Their confrontation had engulfed the other Middle Eastern countries into regional politics and the intensification of proxy wars like in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Whereas, the Saudi-Iran hostility had influenced the regional politics, it also had implications for the neighbouring states. The Iranian revolution of 1979 further created a divide between the two countries as the influence of Islamic Revolution started exporting to other regional countries to which Saudi-Arabia was apprehensive. The two regional power houses had pushed the neighbouring nations into a variety of partnerships. Pakistan, being a neighbour of Iran and a close-ally with Saudi Arabia had caught into a paradox of balancing its relationship with both the countries. In contrast to regional political perspectives, Pakistan's foreign policy toward Iran and Saudi Arabia remains critical, including the high stakes of major powers in the Middle East, creating less room for Pakistan to follow an independent foreign policy and simultaneously maintaining close ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia. This research focuses upon examining the deeper understanding of Saudi-Iran rivalry and its causes that led to a complex security environment in the Middle East. This research dissertation is a case study of Pakistan, which analyses the implications of Confrontational Saudi-Iran relations on Pakistan and its foreign policy. This research argues that Pakistan faced a critical scenario vis à-vis its relationship with Shiite-Iran and Sunni-Wahabi Saudi-Arabia that posed a threat of sectarian violence in Pakistan. Pakistan’s population was polarized in Shiite and Sunni sects that remain vulnerable to sectarian violence in the country. Similarly, owing to weak economic structure, Pakistan remains close to Saudi-Arabia for financial and military support. It enchanted Iran from Pakistan that have consequences for Pakistan’s security on the western border with Afghanistan. Likewise, Pakistan was energy deficient country. Both Pakistan and Iran would had built a strong bilateral cooperation in energy sector. But Saudi Arabia influenced by western inclination remain subversive to Pak-Iran cooperation. In the prism of Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) Complex economic, strategic and political issues were examined through actions taken by Iran, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in various regional contexts. Keywords: Saudi-Arabia. Iran, Middle East, Foreign Policy |
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| Climate Change and Environmental Governance: A Case Study of Floods in Pakistan (2010 & 2022) | This thesis focuses on the serious problems caused by climate change and frequent floods in Pakistan. It highlights the urgent need for global efforts to address the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change, especially in a country like Pakistan that is vulnerable to such challenges. The study looks into the reasons behind the floods of 2010 and 2022 in Pakistan , uncovering connected political, social, and environmental factors. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach that considers power dynamics, environmental damage, and societal vulnerabilities. While acknowledging the government's efforts to manage crises, the study also points out coordination and resource allocation challenges, stressing the importance of effective governance. The research underscores the necessity of distributing resources to benefit all parts of society. Flood management in Pakistan faces problems due to coordination issues, highlighting the need for better planning and involving communities to enhance their resilience. Using qualitative methods and data from various sources, the study explores the causes and consequences of floods in Pakistan, the country's response to climate change, and possibilities for future prevention. The goal is to increase awareness and guide actions to reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters. |
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| Climate Change and Environmental Governance: A Case Study of Floods in Pakistan (2010 & 2022) | This thesis focuses on the serious problems caused by climate change and frequent floods in Pakistan. It highlights the urgent need for global efforts to address the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change, especially in a country like Pakistan that is vulnerable to such challenges. The study looks into the reasons behind the floods of 2010 and 2022 in Pakistan , uncovering connected political, social, and environmental factors. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach that considers power dynamics, environmental damage, and societal vulnerabilities. While acknowledging the government's efforts to manage crises, the study also points out coordination and resource allocation challenges, stressing the importance of effective governance. The research underscores the necessity of distributing resources to benefit all parts of society. Flood management in Pakistan faces problems due to coordination issues, highlighting the need for better planning and involving communities to enhance their resilience. Using qualitative methods and data from various sources, the study explores the causes and consequences of floods in Pakistan, the country's response to climate change, and possibilities for future prevention. The goal is to increase awareness and guide actions to reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters. |
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| Climate Change and Environmental Governance: A Case Study of Floods in Pakistan (2010 & 2022) | This thesis focuses on the serious problems caused by climate change and frequent floods in Pakistan. It highlights the urgent need for global efforts to address the environmental, social, and economic impacts of climate change, especially in a country like Pakistan that is vulnerable to such challenges. The study looks into the reasons behind the floods of 2010 and 2022 in Pakistan , uncovering connected political, social, and environmental factors. It emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive approach that considers power dynamics, environmental damage, and societal vulnerabilities. While acknowledging the government's efforts to manage crises, the study also points out coordination and resource allocation challenges, stressing the importance of effective governance. The research underscores the necessity of distributing resources to benefit all parts of society. Flood management in Pakistan faces problems due to coordination issues, highlighting the need for better planning and involving communities to enhance their resilience. Using qualitative methods and data from various sources, the study explores the causes and consequences of floods in Pakistan, the country's response to climate change, and possibilities for future prevention. The goal is to increase awareness and guide actions to reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters. |
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| American Exceptionalism During Donald Trump Administration: Prospects and Challenges | American exceptionalism is a notion, ideology, theory and national creed that are adhered to by the American nationals and play a key role in informing their world view. This study highlights the nuances between different conceptions of American exceptionalism and its role in shaping of American foreign policy and discusses the impact of Donald Trump’s ideology and actions on the liberal internationalist conception of exceptionalism before delving into the nature of exceptional foreign policy and discussing the prospects and challenges facing American exceptionalism.. American Exceptionalism stands for the idea that the United States because of its unique history, culture, religious roots and nationality formation process is exceptionally unique and morally superior to other nations. This special place is understood to be demanding of a special leadership role that the American Nation should play in order to provide others with the benefits of their supreme socioeconomic and political systems by ensuring their adoption worldwide. Donald Trump with his unique view on American exceptionalism contested the popularly held liberal exceptional view and promised change in both domestic and foreign policies. This study delves into the nature and consequences of Trumpian foreign policy in order to gauge its impact on exceptionalism and its liberal internationalist variant. The study found that American Exceptionalism plays a major role in shaping of American foreign policy and that the American foreign policy is most likely to retain its nature in the future although its liberal internationalist facet faces many endogenous as well as some exogenous challenges like the rise of China and the prevalence of global nationalist populism and Donald Trump is more of an indicator of the endogenous challenges stemming from currents within the American society, than the architect of these challenges. |
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| The Scope of Peace in South Asia in the Era of Fifth-Generation Warfare | South Asian regional security environment cannot be separated from the inflexible standings of New Delhi and Islamabad against each other, in which the nuclear arms race between contestants has changed the nature of warfare in the region. The dynamics of the India-Pakistan conflict under the atomic shadows have compelled the leaders of two nuclear powers to rely on new means of warfare and jump into a new domain of strategic competition in the domain of Fifth Generation Warfare. This new domain of warfare has resulted in a conflict of low intensity between India and Pakistan, parallel to launching the multileveled propaganda operations of both states against each other. As a result, a new era of information warfare consisting of various disinformation campaigns has complicated the regional security environment of nuclearized South Asia, where New Delhi is taking the lead. This scenario directly impacts the scope of peace and stability in the South Asian region and forces Pakistani state authorities to appropriate countermeasures against Indian offensive regional designs. As predicted by the contemporary theories in the field of international relations, the changing nature of international and regional structures significantly impacts the positions of states involved during rivalries and intense strategic competitions. In this way, this research provides a comprehensive understanding of prevailing scenarios of Fifth Generation Warfare in South Asia, where the Indian desire to maintain an influential role in its home region is shaping Pakistan’s defensive position. Thus, the scope of peace and stability has deteriorated where the regional political structure is the prime factor causing an intense security environment. |
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| CHINA’S SOFT POWER PROJECTION IN SOUTH ASIA: A CASE STUDY OF BANGLADESH, SRI LANKA, AND NEPAL | ABSTRACT China’s rise as a dominant actor at the regional as well as at the international level has been accompanied by the country’s calculated drive to build and maintain a soft image. These conscious efforts resulted in assuming a high place by the concept of “soft power” in China’s foreign policy. Moreover, this also resulted in using all the available soft power means to achieve the desired foreign policy objectives, including the use of the economy as a tool for enhancing its soft power image. This research work highlights that China is using different strategies to enhance its soft power influence in South Asia and beyond. The case study of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal highlights the use of soft means of power to boost its influence in these countries through attraction rather than coercion. This study applies and utilizes the conceptual framework of soft power to understand the complexities of China’s calculated drive for projecting its soft power in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Furthermore, this study is qualitative, using an exploratory method of research, to explore and understand China’s soft power projection in South Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Key Words: Soft Power, South Asia, China, Economic Cooperation, Bangladesh |
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