The elite capture of Pakistan's legal fraternity
Ayesha Malik and
@SaadiaAbbasii
discuss how doing well in the Pakistani legal space often depends on "who" you know instead of "what" you know.
Watch full episode here:
How does displacement impact gender roles?
In our latest podcast,
@najeebz18
, Doctoral Student at
@RutgersU
, discusses the displacement in
#FATA
and its impacts on gender roles in the region.
Watch here:
Writing for
@PoliticoPak
, Ayesha Malik, Team Lead of the Conflict Law Centre at
@rsilpak
, stresses the need for Pakistan to rethink its policy on Kashmir so it is bolder, more creative and, most importantly for legal purposes, organized.
Read here:
Zionism vs. Anti-Semitism
Catch our latest podcast with
@ZarrarKhuhro
who shared his thoughts on how Isreal uses 'hasbara', the conflation of anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, and whether international law is useful or useless
Watch here:
Writing for
@PoliticoPak
, Ayesha Malik, Team Lead at the Conflict Law Centre, analyses whether Pakistan should ratify the Rome Statute in exchange for EU trade tariffs.
Read here:
➡️International Law versus International Relations
🔎Which discipline is the most useful?
▶️Watch as we discuss which subject is more relevant in explaining the constraints on states and why they do what they do:
@ovesanwar
@noorful19
@mubasharizvi
Yesterday, the Conflict Law Centre hosted a Women in Security roundtable to discuss the importance of having women work in this traditionally male dominated field.
Catch the highlights here:
➡️In this episode of
@WAR
, Ayesha Malik is joined by
@apniISPdot
, and
@noorwithaspoon
, to discuss the dangers of social media in exacerbating divisions, hatred and violence in areas of conflict.
Watch here:
We are pleased to welcome the inaugural batch of CLC's IHL Fellows.
Our fellows will be researching and engaging with the laws of war, and sharing their reflections in the form of blogs and opinion pieces.
Stay tuned to learn more.
Do Palestinians have the right to resist an occupation?
Does Israel have the right to self-defence?
The Conflict Law Centre shares its legal opinion in its statement on recent events in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Read here:
We were honoured to be able to host these inspiring women working on every aspect of national security and start a conversation on what we bring to the field that our male counterparts don't
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we're reading The New Map by
@danielyergin
. An engrossing read on global energy geopolitics and the impact climate change will have on relations between states.
Sanctions and International Law
In our latest podcast,
@ATzanakopoulos
Professor at
@UniofOxford
joins us for a very interesting discussion on extraterritorial sanctions and the rise of blocking statutes
Watch here:
Climate change and armed conflict in South Asia.
Writing for the
#CLCBlog
,
@f_aider
explores how climate change might exacerbate the Sir Creek dispute between Pakistan and India, and lead to further instability in the region.
Read here:
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we're reading Line on Fire by
@HappymonJacob
, an enthralling look at the relationship between ceasefire violations on the Jammu and Kashmir border and crisis escalation between India and Pakistan.
#DidYouKnow
that it was
#Pakistan
's draft that finally made up what we now know as Additional Protocol II to the
#GenevaConventions
applicable to civil wars. The delegation was led by a Lahore High Court judge & produced a simplified draft which was later adopted with amendments
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we are reading Prisoners of Geography by
@Itwitius
, a truly fascinating look at modern geopolitics through the lens of geography.
Our latest
#CLCBlog
post analyses the legal aspects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including its illegality under intl law, the courts which may hold Russia accountable for a breach of intl law, & the potential implications for Pakistan
Read here:
As a follow on to our Oppenheimer episode, we discuss whether aliens are real and how the laws of war would apply to them. We go down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories here so don your tinfoil hats and join us
Watch here:
In this article for our Israel-Palestine symposium, Dr. Nahed Samour and
@ntinatzouvala
argue that all this talk about self-defence has been conveniently used as a cover up for the genocide unfolding before our eyes.
Read here:
#CLCBlog
Starting tomorrow, we will be sharing articles on Gilgit Baltistan as part of a symposium which seeks to better understand the region while amplifying the voices of those from GB. We hope you enjoy reading these articles!
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we are reading The Shortest History of War by
@GwynneDyer
, a study of war as a custom and tradition, as a political and social institution, and as a problem.
Is India a responsible nuclear-armed state?
In our latest podcast,
@NoorSitara
&
@mubasharizvi
explore the future of strategic stability in South Asia in the context of the Brahmos incident, the Russia-Ukraine conflict & US-China competition
Watch here:
In our latest on the
#CLCBlog
,
@vaqarahmed
argues that trade with its neighbours, including
#India
, is essential for
#Pakistan
if it wants to achieve sustainable economic growth
Read here:
Writing for Hilal,
@AhmerSoofi
, President
@rsilpak
and Ayesha Malik, Team Lead
@clc_rsil
discuss India's notice to modify the Indus Waters Treaty.
Read here:
Our first article is by Justice (Rtd.) Syed Manzoor Hussain Gilani, the former Chief Justice of AJK's Supreme Court, who has written a critical analysis of the constitutional status and political structure of the region and offers a way forward
Read here:
Is the Indus Water Treaty still relevant?
In our latest podcast, we hosted
@laalshah
to discuss the Indus Waters Treaty, the recent request by India to modify it, and past issues the two countries have faced over the waters of the Indus basin
Watch here:
Our first map looks at territorial disputes.
We include ongoing wars (Russia-Ukraine), long-standing ones (Kashmir/Palestine), and potential new issues (Essequibo). We'll be watching Turkey and Greece especially closely in 2023
View here:
Emerging tech, the future of
#warfare
, and
#Pakistan
In our latest podcast,
@WaqarHZaidi
, Associate Professor of History at LUMS, and
@mubasharizvi
discuss the future of warfare and what Pakistan must do to stay competitive
Watch here:
The ‘unwilling or unable’ doctrine is a controversial theory invoked largely by the West to justify its unilateral and illegal interventions in the Global South. Pakistan has been the victim of this many times - here’s what this doctrine means for less powerful states.
🧵
1/5
Is Israel committing war crimes?
Speaking to
@Dawn_News
, our team lead Ayesha Malik provides insights into what laws Israel has been breaking and who will hold it accountable.
Watch here:
In our latest episode of
#IHLinFilm
, we watched Oppenheimer and looked at it under the laws of war while discussing nuclear weapons generally.
Watch here:
Writing for Pakistan Dialogues (
@HaqMahbub
), Ayesha Malik discusses the civil war in Sudan and why Pakistan should monitor the conflict closely.
Read here:
In our final article for the AJK symposium, Ayesha Malik busts two myths commonly held about AJK - that it is occupied by Pakistan and that there are human rights violations being committed there akin to those in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir
Read here:
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we're reading Lila Abu-Lughod's Do Muslim Women Need Saving? which challenges the notion that Muslim women need to be rescued by do-gooders in the West through foreign intervention
Decoupling Gilgit-Baltistan from the Kashmir dispute
Next up on CLC's
#GilgitBaltistanSymposium
,
@daneal_zapoh
makes a case for distinguishing the governance of Gilgit Baltistan and mainstreaming it as a province of Pakistan
Read here:
#CLCBlog
Culture and Conflict
In our latest podcast, we are joined by Furrukh Khan, Associate Professor
@LifeAtLUMS
, to discuss how culture interacts with conflict and the ways in which it has been used to oppose, promote, & recover from war
Watch here:
Art has been used to promote, oppose, memorialise, and recover from war.
This week at the CLC we'll be sharing some of our favourite pieces of war art. These paintings, poems, and sculptures depict the chaos and carnage caused by conflict. We hope you'll enjoy this series!
In this article, we look at what we can expect from the upcoming
@CIJ_ICJ
Advisory Opinion on Israel-Palestine and the need to realistically adjust our expectations but at the same time, persist in using legal tools for lasting regional peace.
Read here:
Good legal writing is clear, concise, accurate and effective
The Conflict Law Centre at
@rsilpak
is conducting a special workshop for law students & lawyers to help them write and construct legal arguments coherently and articulately.
Register here:
Online workshop on Legal Advocacy with
@AhmadJamal_92
The workshop will be looking at all aspects of advocacy, and how advocacy differs depending on the forums, and areas of law.
Register here:
The notorious case of
#Bagram
detainees
In our latest podcast,
@SarahBelal_
, Executive Director
@JusticeProject_
, helps us understand the ordeal of Pakistani detainees in Bagram and what was done to bring them back to
#Pakistan
Watch here:
Can
#zombies
be weapons in war?
In this episode of
#IHLinFilm
, we analyse a clip from
#FearTheWalkingDead
and discuss the creation of zombies under the laws of armed conflict, their status, and whether they can be used as a weapon of war.
Watch here:
#SexualViolence
in
#Kashmir
Our latest
#CLCBlog
explores how
#indian
security forces use counter-terrorism measures as an excuse to commit acts of sexual violence and highlights the system of impunity that protects them from accountability
Read here
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the CLC we're reading
@BetteDam
's gripping book on the Taliban which really upends a lot of our commonly held beliefs about the group.
In the next piece of our AJK Symposium, Dr.
@PascaleSchild
argues that Pakistan’s solidarity is crucial in drawing national and international attention to the Kashmiri freedom struggle
Read here:
The
#Chandrayaan3Landing
sparked debated regarding
#SUPRACO
and the future of Pakistan's space program.
What should Pakistan's priorities be in this regard?
We explored this question on the
#CLCBlog
with contributions from Ayesha Malik and
@mubasharizvi
Is Hollywood’s portrayal of battle in line with the laws of war?
In this episode of
#IHLinFilm
, we analyse clips from Inglourious Basterds, Behind Enemy Lines and The Pacific to see whether there was improper use of the enemy’s uniform
Watch here
"As an occupying power,
@Israel
does not have the right to self-defence in a territory that it occupies. Instead, the legality of conduct is determined by the laws of war."
Ayesha Malik, Team Lead Conflict Law Centre, writes for
@dawn_com
. Read here:
In this coauthored piece for
@lawfareblog
,
@mubasharizvi
&
@ViKannan_
unpack the salient features, legal authority & strategic rationale of the Commerce Department's Oct. 7 export controls pertaining to transfer of computing technology to China
Read here:
In this episode of
#WarandWords
, Ayesha Malik discusses the themes of conflict escalation, diplomacy and the politics of ceasefire in Dr.
@HappymonJacob
's book, ‘Line of Fire’.
Watch here:
@JNU_official_50
In the latest episode of
#War_and_Words
, we hosted
@danielmkovalik
for a discussion of his book "The Plot to Scapegoat Russia."
We discuss America's Cold War hangover, U.S. regime change operations and the
#RussianUkraineWar
Watch here:
While many have dubbed the ongoing
#Russia
-
#Ukraine
conflict as the beginning of a new cold war, Alexander Lawson, Assistant Professor at
@Zuedu
, believes that it has been going on since 2014.
To learn more, watch our special podcast on the
#UkraineWar
📢 Applications open for CLC's IHL Fellowship.
This program will equip participants with the skills to conduct research on the basic principles and recent developments in the laws of armed conflict and how they apply to Pakistan
Apply here:
Is nuclear arms control a good idea?
How many nuclear weapons do
#India
&
#Pakistan
need to have a stable & effective deterrence?
Writing for the
#CLCBlog
, Alex Lawson argues that both countries have a mutual interest in pursuing arms control
Read here:
Are sanctions legal under international law?
How effective are sanctions as a foreign policy implementation tool?
Noor Fatima and
@mubasharizvi
explore these questions in light of growing
#sanctions
against
#Russia
Read here:
#RussiaUkraineWar
In March 2023, the
@IntlCrimCourt
issued an arrest warrant for Putin
In our latest
#CLCBlog
, Brishna Gehani explores the ICC's actions, the precedent set with the Bashir judgment, and how it all looks from Pakistan.
Read here:
Welcome to the Conflict Law Centre at
@rsilpak
.
Established in 2015, the Conflict Law Centre is dedicated to enhancing the understanding of, and promoting respect for, the law of armed conflict.
#CLC_RSIL
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, given the recent deal between🇮🇷 and 🇸🇦 brokered by 🇨🇳, we're reading about the origins of their rivalry starting from three events which took place in 1979 in
@KimGhattas
' great book Black Wave
Are
#Drones
legal under international law?
In our latest podcast, Dr. Ahmad Mujtaba, Adjunct Faculty at MGSHSS
@LifeAtLUMS
, analyses the efficiency and legality of drones, and how their use contributes to counterinsurgencies
Watch here:
In our latest paper, Nimra Mansoor analyses the evolution of the law of occupation, its prohibitions on transformative occupations, and the ways in which these laws have been violated by different states.
Read here:
In our latest podcast, we're joined by
@SaadiaAbbasii
for a very candid conversation about women in national security, why women may not want to come on podcasts, and the need to not be petty
Watch here:
Sudan's civil war
In our latest podcast,
@joshua_craze
joins us to discuss the conflict's two main personalities, the international actors involved, centre-periphery relations, and the current ceasefire and whether it will hold
Watch here:
In our student contribution for the AJK Symposium,
@hunain_mahmood
looks at the role of the Azad Jammu & Kashmir diaspora in addressing the challenges faced by the region.
Read here:
CERD and Lawfare
Writing for the
#CLCBlog
,
@raasnabeel
explores how the CERD's compromissory clause allowing States to bring disputes under the Convention to the ICJ is misused for strategic gains, rather than as a means of seeking redress.
Read here:
Next up on the AJK Symposium,
@Sohail_QAU
discusses both Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan and argues that the territorial and legal dispute over the region has hindered regional socio-economic progress
Read here:
@syedalizia1992
looked at this question through a national security and strategic lens, and argued that trade with India, while important for the economy, should be contingent on India's behaviour in
#Kashmir
Finally, we're sharing an op-ed by our Team Lead, Ayesha Malik, for
@dawn_com
on the difficulties of AI complying with the more 'fuzzy' laws of war and the black box issue of software which will make the workings of killer robots opaque to us
Read here:
This week at the CLC, we'll be looking at Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
We held interviews with experts who shared their thoughts on how AI will change warfare, the impacts for the Global South, and whether an algorithm should be allowed to kill a human being
Stay tuned!
We're thrilled to announce the newest cohort of our Ecological Security Fellowship! Part of our broader Ecological Security Program, these fellows are mid-career experts from a variety of backgrounds.
➡️ Learn more:
The 'unwilling or unable' doctrine is used by the West to justify its unilateral interventions in the Global South
What is the legality of this doctrine, and what are its implications on international law?
Watch this short explainer by
@raasnabeel
to learn more
#CLCShorts
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre, we’re reading Army of None by
@paul_scharre
; a must read for anyone interested in autonomous weapons and the legal and ethical questions they provoke.
#WhatWeAreReading
This month at the Conflict Law Centre we're reading fiction in the form of War and War, a novel by Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai, which won him the 2015 Man Booker International Prize (
@TheBookerPrizes
) for its fascinating prose and plot.
In 2018,
@Meta
acknowledged its role in perpetuating violence during the
#Rohingya
#genocide
In our latest on the
#CLCBlog
, Nimra Mansoor explores the role of social media in perpetuating violence & what can be done to hold Big Tech accountable
Read here
Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) is an underresearched and underdiscussed area of the Kashmir dispute
Starting tomorrow, we will be sharing articles on AJK as part of a symposium that seeks to provide insights into the region, its issues, and how we can overcome them
Stay tuned!
Last month at the Conflict Law Centre, we focused on the ongoing
#RussiaUkraineConflict
.
The series started with a podcast with Alex Lawson on the origins of the conflict and how it’s been taken to international forums
While many have dubbed the ongoing
#Russia
-
#Ukraine
conflict as the beginning of a new cold war, Alexander Lawson, Assistant Professor at
@Zuedu
, believes that it has been going on since 2014.
To learn more, watch our special podcast on the
#UkraineWar
Our mid-week art piece is from Mahwish Chishty's Drone Art series called MQ-9/Predator (2011) which contrasts contemporary forms of violence with Pakistani truck art. The painting shows how the long-term presence of drones has penetrated the country's cultural fabric
We cap off our
#GilgitBaltistanSymposium
with
@miryasirabbas
's commentary on the shortcomings of the Gilgit Baltistan Ordinance 2018 and suggests improvements that can enhance local participation.
Read here:
#CLCBlog
In this episode of
#IHLinFilm
, we look at a clip from Thor: Ragnarok where they destroy Asgard to prevent it from being claimed by Hela and discuss the IHL provisions applicable to scorched earth policies.
Watch full episode here:
Writing for BASIC-ICCS series on Nuclear Responsibilities in Pakistan,
@mubasharizvi
discusses Pakistan's experience in developing Nuclear Responsibilities from a legal perspective
Jointly published by
@BASIC_int
and
@rsilpak
Read here:
In what cases is the use of
#drones
in another country's territory a violation of Article 2(4) of the
#UnitedNations
Charter?
Are civilian casualties of drone strikes accurately reported?
Watch this short explainer by
@husain_maha_
to learn more
#CLCShorts
@vaqarahmed
analysed this question from the private sector's perspective and argued that trade with
#India
, as well as other neighbouring countries, is essential if Pakistan wants to achieve sustainable economic growth.