Advancing Stability Through Developmental Research

Independent insights and policy recommendations for sustainable development

US–Iran De-escalation Formula: Breakthrough or Tactical Pause?

By Asif Haroon Raja The Fallacy of Binary OutcomesSome analysts are advancing the theory that the US–Iran conflict can end only in either the total destruction of Iran or a…

15 Min Read

BRICS Currency: A potential Rival to the US Dollars

The term BRIC was first coined by economist Jim O'Neill in 2001 to describe four emerging economies…

Iran-Israel Escalation: A Crushing Blow, A Dangerous Gamble, and A Foggy Future

On June 13, 2025, the world woke up to a seismic geopolitical shift. In a sweeping and…

Strategic Realignments in West and South Asia, & Current US-Iran Standoff

By: Asif Haroon Raja The June Israel–Iran war marked a critical inflection point in regional geopolitics. What…

The Re-Alignment of the Middle East After the Iran War

The architects of the war operated on flawed assumptions. It was believed that a politically, economically, and…

Misperceptions about the 1971 Tragedy

A range of misperceptions continue to circulate regarding the circumstances that led to the separation of Pakistan’s…

Iran–Pakistan Move Toward Long-Term Strategic Alliance as Global Power Shifts

When Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan earlier this month, his welcome by Prime Minister…

Seminar on “Kashmir Accession Day” held in Rawalakot by Centre for Development and Stability

Under the auspices of the Centre for Development and Stability,…

By Fajar

CDS & COMEX Partner to Showcase Pakistan’s IT at COMEX 2025

CDS and COMEX have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)…

Omani Delegation from the Majlis e Shura of the Sultanate of Oman Visited Murree Hill Station

PRESS RELEASE Islamabad, Pakistan – February 7, 2026 A high-level…

Editor's Pick

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Regional Connectivity, Innovation, and Security in Balochistan

The Centre for Development and Stability (CDS) organized a seminar titled “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Regional Connectivity, Innovation, and Security in…

0 Min Read

Pakistan: A Case Study of Contradictions

Pakistan presents a unique paradox in the Muslim world. Created in the name of Islam, it has struggled throughout its…

Expanding Terrorism: Pakistan’s Counter-Terror Response and the Afghan Conundrum

Asif Haroon Raja In the wake of the steadily intensifying cross-border terrorism orchestrated by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan…

10 Min Read

Jammu Martyrs Day: Honoring a Legacy of Sacrifice for Freedom and Solidarity

Jammu Martyrs Day encapsulates the resilience and unity of the Kashmiri people. It honors the unbreakable spirit of those who…

9 Min Read
Expanding Terrorism: Pakistan’s Counter-Terror Response and the Afghan Conundrum

Asif Haroon Raja In the wake of the steadily intensifying cross-border terrorism…

10 Min Read
India’s Strategic Shift and the Limits of “Strategic Autonomy”

By: Nuzhat Nazar For decades, India has presented itself as a country…

7 Min Read

For you

US–Iran De-escalation Formula: Breakthrough or Tactical Pause?

By Asif Haroon Raja The Fallacy of Binary OutcomesSome analysts are advancing the theory that the US–Iran conflict can end…

15 Min Read

Expanding Terrorism: Pakistan’s Counter-Terror Response and the Afghan Conundrum

Asif Haroon Raja In the wake of the steadily intensifying cross-border terrorism orchestrated by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan…

10 Min Read

Hanging Between Peace and War

Asif Haroon Raja Iran: Most Sanctioned Country Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Iran has lived under the shadow of…

12 Min Read

Deep Mistrust and a Cycle of Hostility: Why the US–Iran Conflict Cannot End

Given the back-to-back wars in June 2025 and February 2026, and the unresolved core disputes, it is highly doubtful that…

12 Min Read

April 26, 2026

West Asia's Fragile Ceasefire Hangs by a Thread Asif Haroon Raja Trump had imposed a war on Iran on February…

12 Min Read

April 26, 2026

When Time Becomes Iran’s Advantage and America’s Constraint (By: Nuzhat Nazar) The approaching end of the 60-day window under the…

4 Min Read

When Strategy Replaces Diplomacy in Islamabad

(By: Nuzhat Nazar) With Abbas Araghchi now in Islamabad, and American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arriving in parallel,…

4 Min Read

April 25, 2026

Ceasefire Extension, Hormuz Tensions, and the Emerging Strategic Deadlock Asif Haroon Raja Background Full-scale war broke out on February 28,…

America Can Fight This War. Can It Sustain It?

By: Nuzhat Nazar The question is not whether the United States can fight a war with Iran. It clearly can.…

6 Min Read

West Asia’s Fragile Diplomacy, Controlled Escalation to Peace

Asif Haroon Raja Current Strategic Landscape Tensions between the United States and Iran have once again approached a critical inflection…

Rebalancing Power: Why America Must Align Strategy with Economic Reality

By: Nuzhat Nazar For much of the post Cold War era, the United States did not have to choose between…

6 Min Read

Pakistan in the Global Spotlight: From Strategic Constraint to Diplomatic Centrality

Pakistan has, once again, stepped into the global spotlight—this time not as a peripheral actor, but as a pivotal intermediary…

11 Min Read

COAS is in Tehran

The current mission of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Asim Munir, to Tehran is a move born out…

6 Min Read

Escalation Without Resolution

With a naval blockade tightening in the Gulf and missile batteries shifting across Iran, the US–Iran standoff is no longer…

9 Min Read

Can Pakistan Afford Neutrality in the US–Iran Conflict?

This "active neutrality" requires Islamabad to serve as a high-stakes courier, translating the rigid security requirements of Washington into a…

7 Min Read