Research Associate
Shaza Arif serves as a Research Associate at the Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS) in Islamabad. She is also pursuing an MPhil in Public Management at Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, after having graduated with distinction in BSc (Hons) Defence and Diplomatic Studies from the same university.
Ms Arif’s expertise spans National Security & Strategy, Defence Modernisation, Nuclear Security, and Artificial Intelligence. She has made her mark by participating in various international conferences and workshops, including those at Durban University of Technology in South Africa, Tsinghua University in China, and the Royal Scientific Society in Jordan. Furthermore, she has collaborated with the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) on the Nuclear Responsibilities Project and currently serves as a Board Member for BASIC’s Emerging Voices Network (EVN). Her insights are frequently featured in both domestic and international newspapers and journals, underlining her contributions to her fields of study.
The human thinking process is nothing short of a miracle. Our brain houses billions of neurons. Physical and mental activities are conditional upon the generation of electrical impulses which are passed on from one neuron to another. Technological advancements have led to the development of devices with the ability to detect impulses generated in the brain and develop an interface with smart devices.
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Ensuring military readiness to confront future challenges and uncertainties has always been imperative for the armed forces. The approach often requires a consistent and steadfast commitment to innovation and modernisation. Central to this concept is the acquisition and integration of new and cross-cutting technologies. The possibility of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) acquiring the Shenyang J-31 stealth fighter has created a buzz recently.
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The nature of Indo-Pak relations has been turbulent right from the onset. Numerous events have influenced the trajectory of this bilateral relationship over time. In this regard, February 2019 stands out as both countries were on the verge of military escalation and nearly went to war, was it not for the foresight and restraint of Pakistan’s leadership.
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Contrary to general perception, in recent years, the tech sector has entered a rather turbulent phase, marked by massive layoffs. 2022 witnessed a staggering 649% increase in layoffs, which continued to manifest itself in the subsequent year. The first quarter of 2023 witnessed a peak in layoffs and the tech industry underwent its most significant contraction in the last ten years, with the loss of more than 240,000 jobs.
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Resistance has many forms. At its core, it reflects how inaction towards injustice is synonymous to complicity. In this regard, the Armed Conflict Location & Events Data project has recently analysed the Israel-Palestine conflict, offering insightful data. According to their report, mass mobilisations have been observed, with approximately 7,283 pro-Palestine protests, from 7th October to 24th November, in 118 countries and territories.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) models such as ChatGPT have become increasingly popular owing to their impressive human-like responses generated in an unexpectedly short time. Individuals from all age groups continue to explore such models with great excitement, given their captivating potential in different fields from content writing to coding.
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All views and opinions expressed or implied are those of the authors/speakers/internal and external scholars and should not be construed as carrying the official sanction of CASS.