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CISS Insight Journal

CISS Insight is a bi-annual peer-reviewed research journal of the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad. It offers readers a diverse range of research articles and book reviews. The journal is published in June and December each year. It includes articles on nuclear non-proliferation, arms control, nuclear policy, and doctrine and also provides space for articles on contemporary strategic issues, foreign policy, and cyberspace.

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Editorial Team
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Dr. Mansoor Ahmed
Senior Research Fellow
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Dr. Mansoor Ahmed is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies. He is also an Associate with the Managing the Atom Project, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School for 2018-2019 where he was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the International Security Program/Managing the Atom Project for 2016-2018 and a Stanton Nuclear Security Junior Faculty Fellow for 2015-2016.

Previously, he was a Visiting Research Scholar at the Cooperative Monitoring Center, Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, N.M., USA in 2013.

He has also served as a Lecturer in the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies (DSS), Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad from 2011 to 2015, and as Visiting Faculty in the Department of Strategic and Nuclear Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad from 2009-2011.

Before joining the academia, he worked in the Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service from July 2003 to January 2011.

Dr. Ahmed holds a PhD in International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. His research interests include various aspects of Pakistani and Indian nuclear programs and policies; fissile materials, non-proliferation, arms control and strategic stability issues with special reference to South Asia. His research work has been published by the Belfer Center, the Stimson Center, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

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Syed Muhammad Ali
Senior Research Fellow
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Syed Muhammad Ali is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad. Pakistan. He is widely published, interviewed and quoted on geopolitical, strategic, nuclear and security issues, both nationally and internationally. He is a frequent participant in various international Track-2 engagements and regular commentator at policy forums, thinks tank and universities on strategic and nuclear issues. Earlier, he has taught Dimensions of Modern Strategy, Foreign Policy Analysis and Comparative Politics at the National Defence University and served as a Course Coordinator and member of the NDU disciplinary committee. He designed and introduced over 30 new courses, which are currently being taught at M.Sc, M.Phil and PhD levels and also reviewed Higher Education Commission’s curriculum of International Relations. He also teaches at the Foreign Service Academy of Pakistan and has a rich and diverse international exposure of both government and multinational organizations. Earlier, he has served as a correspondent at the Voice of America at its Washington, D.C headquarters and Pakistan Television Ltd., Islamabad, respectively. He has also served as Controller at the Cross Media Ltd., a London-based Japanese media company and auditor/consultant at the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), world’s largest consultancy firm. His diverse portfolio at the PwC included some of the world’s leading energy giants like Shell, Schlumberger, OMV, Premier Oil, large telecom companies such as Ericsson, PTCL and private organizations such as Agha Khan Foundation and GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology.

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Ms. Saima Aman Sial
Senior Research Fellow
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Ms. Saima Aman Sial is working as a Senior Research Fellow and expert in strategic issues at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad. She is also the associate editor of CISS Insight, a biannual journal of the Center. Aman is a former Nonproliferation Fellow the Center for Nonproliferation Studies Monterey California, Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Education Center, South Korea and Sandia National Laboratories, USA. She has an M.Phil in Strategic Studies from National Defence University. Her dissertation related to “Evolution of Pakistan’s Naval Strategic Thought: For an assured second strike Capability”. She has participated in several national as well as international certificate courses/trainings on nuclear science and technology, safety and security of radioactive sources, nonproliferation and arms control, Chemical weapons Convention (assistance and protection) and nuclear disarmament.

Previously, she served as a research coordinator and Senior Research Associate in Center for Pakistan and Gulf Studies and Strategic Technology Resources respectively. She has an experience of working with Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division as an Assistant Director – Research in its Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs Directorate for some years. She has conducted research on a variety of subjects including nuclear strategy, doctrines, safety and security, command and control systems, multilateral export controls, Indian Ocean geostrategy, arms control and nonproliferation policy with special reference to South Asia.

She is a frequent contributor in national and international conferences relating to strategic issues, including being a part of India-Pakistan Track II engagements. She also contributes in national dailies on South Asian deterrence, nonproliferation, export control and nuclear policy issues and has been adjunct faculty at Bahria University Islamabad.

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Zawar Haider Abidi
Senior Research Fellow
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Mr. Zawar Haider Abidi is a former military officer. He has served in Pakistan Army for over 26 years on various assignments. He has also served in Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs Branch Strategic Plans Division, secretariat of the Pakistan National Command Authority from October 2001 to Nov 2012. He has been a visiting fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington D.C, USA (2003), and a visiting fellow at the James Martin Center for Non-proliferation Studies, Monterey, California, USA. (2010).

He has been an expert consultant supporting United Nation Security Council (UNSC) 1540 Committee for a period of five years from November 2012 to Nov 2017 to monitor the implementation of UNSC resolution 1540 by the UN Member States.

While in Pakistan Army he has been on the faculty of number of training institutions. In Arms Control and Disarmament Branch SPD he has worked on issues related to non-proliferation, arms control, strategic trade management, research and outreach. He has been part of inter-agency groups responsible for, drafting Pakistan’s Export Control Act 2004, designing and establishment of Strategic Export Control Division of Pakistan, compilation of Pakistan’s National Control List and an inter-agency group developing the architecture for deployment of Radiological Portal Monitors on all land, air and sea border crossing for exercising effective border control. Zawar Haider Abidi has served as visiting faculty at the Defence and Strategic Studies Department at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad (2008). He has participated in number of international conferences, seminars and workshops on non-proliferation and strategic trade management.

Due to his stay at United States as an Expert Consultant supporting UNSC 1540 Committee he has a unique experience in implementation of WMD non-proliferation in general and UNSC resolution 1540 in particular, at the global level. He has participated in number of international conferences, seminars and workshops on non-proliferation and strategic trade management. He has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of implementing laws and regulations with regard to CWC, BWC, NPT and their means of delivery of twenty-three UN Member States of Asian Region including the SAARC Member States.

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Dr. Syed Javaid Khurshid
Senior Research Fellow
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Dr. Syed Javaid Khurshid, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS). Dr. Javaid worked for Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) for 39 years in different capacities as Consultant/Advisor/Director General/Director of Planning, Development & Projects Coordination, Director Biosciences & Executive Secretary, Abdus Salam International Nathiagali Summer College. His expertise is in Mitigation and Control of WMD and CBRN. His special interest is in Nuclear Knowledge Management, Nuclear Energy & Climate Change and Nuclear Techniques for achieving SDGs, Science Communication & Science Diplomacy. He is Technical Committee Member of Higher Education Commission-Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Internal Compliance Committee on Export Control Laws. He was a member of Inter-ministerial committee of Biological Weapon Control, MoFA, Government of Pakistan. Presented Pakistan 4 times as technical expert of delegation to UN on Biological Weapon Control (BWC) meetings. Participated 3 times as a member of State Party to UN on BWC meeting & helped in making the legislation on dual-use products. Dr. Javaid is, President Pakistan Nuclear Society, comprising of 3500 Nuclear Scientists, Engineers & Professionals. He is Secretary National Member Organization, IIASA Laxenburg, Austria. Adjunct Faculty Member of Department of Communication & Management Sciences, PIEAS where he delivers lectures on Leadership and Project Preparation, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation. He is Director at Large of Planning Management Institute, PA, USA (Islamabad Chapter). He is an expert on Project Preparation, Management, Monitoring & Evaluation. Dr. Javaid’s research activities are mainly concentrated on health related topics. His passionate research and excellent presentation skills resulted in about 50 publications in international/national journals, 12 international proceedings, 02 National Guidelines, 15 research reports, 25 articles, 44 presentations, he is listed as Productive Scientists of Pakistan with an Impact Factor of 117. Dr. Javaid is Fellow of Chemical Society of Pakistan. He Associate Editor JPMS, USA, Editor at Large and referee to many international and national journals. He is Member Advisory Council of “Global Affairs”, a magazine circulated in 19 countries.

Dr. Javaid is an approved Ph.D. supervisor of Higher Education Commission (HEC). Worked as visiting faculty member of Biochemistry at Muhammad Ali Jinnah University (MAJU) & Hamdard Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (HIPS), Islamabad. His specialized topics are Bio-Safety, Bio-Security, Bioterrorism, Code of Ethics and Conducts. Adjunct Faculty member of National Institute of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, Faisalabad. Dr. Javaid utilizing his administrative skills & passion for education worked as an Executive Secretary of prestigious Abdussalam International Nathiagali Summer College 2006-2016. He helped disseminating knowledge & motivating research teams by arranging College every year on Cutting Edge Technologies with the support of AbdusSalaam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy, US-National Science Foundation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Centre of European Nuclear Research (CERN).

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Amb. Ali Sarwar Naqvi
Executive Director CISS
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In a long diplomatic career of thirty six years, from 1970 to 2006, which culminated in senior Ambassadorial positions, served at the United Nations, both in New York and Vienna, and in Washington D.C, London, Paris and Brussels. In the course of professional work, he delivered lectures and speeches on various current affairs issues in many institutions. He has also participated in discussions on various national and international issues and questions on TV and electronic media, both in Pakistan and abroad. After serving as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Austria and the IAEA, was appointed Member (Chairman’s Advisory Council) in the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), and functioned as Adviser to the Chairman PAEC on International Affairs, with particular focus on IAEA matters.

Current Work

Ambassador Naqvi is presently serving as the founding Executive Director of the Center. Established in October 2010 the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) as an independent and autonomous think-tank for research and analysis of current regional and international strategic issues from a Pakistani perspective, to contribute to the national and international discourse, and thus create greater understanding between Pakistan and other countries.

Other Engagements:

Serving as Distinguished Visiting Fellow (DVF) in the National Defence University, Islamabad since August 2010.

Associated with other Pakistani Research Institutes since November 2009.

Appointed Expert on the Technical Committee of the Department of Defense and Strategic Studies (DSS) of the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad in April 2009.

Appointed Examiner of the Federal Public Service Commission for International Relations in June 2008.

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Iftikhar Uddin Hasan
Research Coordinator
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Iftikhar Uddin Hasan is a retired Army officer and works as a Research Coordinator. He supervises and guides researchers to ensure that work done by the research team meet the necessary requirements.

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Brigadier (Retired) Dr. Naeem Salik
Senior Research Fellow
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Brigadier (Retired) Dr. Naeem Salik is a Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from the University of Western Australia. He holds a Master’s in International Politics and Strategic Studies from the University of Wales, UK and a Master’s in History from the Punjab University. He has been a visiting fellow at the Stimson Centre, Stanford University, Brookings Institution and School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

He has served in the Pakistan Army in a variety of assignments for 33 years including a fairly long tenure as Director Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs at the Strategic Plans Division. He has taught post-graduate courses at the Department of Defence & Strategic Studies at the Quaid-i-Azam University from 1994 to 2005. He also taught Masters and M Phil courses at the Strategic & Nuclear Studies Department at National Defence University, Islamabad.

He has attended numerous international conferences and track-2 initiatives and has published over 30 research articles and book chapters on strategic and security issues. His book ‘Genesis of South Asian Nuclear Deterrence’ was published by the Oxford University Press in 2009. His second book on “Learning to Live with The Bomb – Pakistan 1998-2016” came out in 2017 and is a valuable addition to the subject. He is working as a Senior Research Fellow at CISS, Islamabad.

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Ms. Huma Rehman
Senior Research Fellow
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Ms. Huma Rehman is currently working as a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) Islamabad, Pakistan, where she works on various aspects of Strategic security issues; International Security, Nuclear/Missile Proliferation, WMD Terrorism, Arms Control/Disarmament, Conflict management and Resolution. Among her academic degrees, she holds M.Phil degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. She has also completed her fellowship at Monterey Institute International Studies (MIIS) on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Studies, California-US. She also worked as a research fellow at Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque-New Mexico-US. She has received a certificate on Nuclear Safeguards Policy Middlebury Institute International Studies (MIIS) on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Studies, California-US. She has also taught Strategic Studies courses as a Visiting Lecturer in Islamabad University. Ms. Rehman has been part of internationally arranged track two programs between Pakistan and India. She contributes articles, and book reviews in ‘CISS Insight’ on South Asian and international strategic issues. She also writes in Newspapers and participates in Television Talk Shows.

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Mr. Muhammad Sarmad Zia
Research Fellow
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Muhammad Sarmad Zia is a Research Fellow at the Centre of International Strategic Studies (CISS). He is also the Assistant Editor of the Center’s Bi-annual Journal CISS Insight. He holds an M.Phil. Degree in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University. His areas of interest include foreign and defence policies of global and regional powers, nuclear strategy and stability, arms control and nonproliferation policy. His MPhil thesis is titled ‘Russia’s Defence Policy: A case-study of Putin Era (1999-2016)’. He has previously interned at the Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs Directorate of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division, worked at Dawn News as a trainee sub-editor and interned at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis (ISSRA) at the National Defence University (NDU). He writes opinion pieces in newspapers and runs an online blog on regional and international strategic issues. He can be reached at sarmad.ciss@gmail.com

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Mr. Samran Ali​
Assistant Research Fellow
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Samran Ali is a Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS). He holds a masters degree in Defense and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. His areas of interest include the global arms control and non-proliferation issues, strategic issues of South Asia, with special reference to nuclear politics and relations between India and Pakistan, and foreign policy issues of Pakistan. Apart from research articles he also contributes opinion pieces to leading newspapers.

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Syed Sadam Hussain Shah​
Assistant Research Fellow
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Syed Sadam Hussain Shah is a research assistant at the Centre for International Strategic Studies in Islamabad. His writings appeared at Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, CSIS Washington D.C., and CISS Insight. He presented a paper at Karadeniz University, Turkey.

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Ms. Mariyam Masood
Assistant Research Fellow
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Ms. Mariyam Masood is a Research Assistant at the Center. She holds a B.Sc. degree in Defense and Diplomatic Studies from Fatima Jinnah Women University. Her seminar paper was titled “Geopolitics of South China Sea.” Her research interests are nuclear policy and development in South Asia. She regularly publishes on contemporary issues in prominent newspapers and magazines.

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Mr. Riaz Khokhar​
Assistant Research Fellow
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Riaz Khokhar is a Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies. Mr. Khokhar holds a Masters degree in International Relations from Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad. His research interests include Pakistan’s foreign policy affairs, strategic dimensions of world affairs and nexus of security and economic issues among South Asian states. He wrote his Masters thesis on Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Posture after Donald Trump’s Coming into Power, completed in May 2017.

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Ms. Afeera Firdous
Assistant Research Fellow
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Afeera Firdous is a Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) Islamabad. She holds an M.Phil degree in Strategic Studies from National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad. Her M.Phil thesis was on “Counter-terrorism in Cyberspace: Comparative Analysis of Pakistan and India”. Her research interests include counter-extremism, counter-terrorism, cyber and information warfare.

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Ms. Ayesha Abbasi
Research Fellow

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Ayesha Abbasi is working as a Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad. Her fields of interest include geopolitics (with a special focus on U.S. foreign policy), international security, nuclear politics, nuclear strategy, arms control/disarmament, environmental security, and climate change. Previously, she has worked with Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division as an International Relations Analyst at the Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs Branch. She continues to contribute to national dailies on issues of her interest. Abbasi holds an M. Phil degree in Strategic and Nuclear Studies from National Defence University, and a Bachelors of Science degree in Environmental Science from Bahria University, Islamabad.

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Ms. Maimuna Ashraf
Research Fellow
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Maimuna Ashraf is currently working as a Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) Islamabad, Pakistan. She focuses on South Asian nuclear issues, primarily India and Pakistan’s nuclear missile capabilities, conventional and nuclear military doctrines, postures and multilateral export control regimes. Ms. Ashraf is a former South Asian Voices (SAV) Visiting Fellow, Stimson Center. Previously, she was associated with an Islamabad based think-tank, Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), as Senior Research Associate. She also worked at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and interned at the Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs Directorate of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division.

Ms. Ashraf holds an M.Phil. in International Relations from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Her M.Phil. dissertation related to Nuclear Disaster Management. She has been a coordinator and contributor in national conferences/seminars. Her opinions regularly appear in national and international dailies on issues of her interest.

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Mr. Sufian Ullah
Research Fellow
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Sufian Ullah is currently working as a Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS). He holds an M.Phil degree in Strategic & Nuclear Studies, from National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad. His areas of interest include the nuclear policies of various nuclear weapons States and the geo-politics in the Indian Ocean Region. His current work investigates the developing naval competition among regional States and also the emerging dynamics of sea-based nuclear deterrence in South Asia.

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Ms. Sabeen Malik
Research Intern
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Ms. Sabeen Malik is a Research Intern at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS). She holds an M. Phil degree in International Relations from National Defence University, Islamabad. Her research interests include Pakistan’s Foreign Policy Affairs, Geopolitics in Indian Ocean, Non-traditional Security, and Climate Change. Her M. Phil’s dissertation was on “Climate Change Policy Responses: A Comparative Analysis of India and Pakistan”. She also contributes opinion articles in prominent newspapers and magazines.