name: Pashtun Research and Policy Center - Canada
text: <I>(from their press material):</I>
  
  Pashtun Research and Policy (PRAP) Centre - Canada is an independent think-tank that conducts research on social, political, cultural, and economic issues relevant to the 50 million Pashtun around the world. Pashtun constitute majority of the population of Afghanistan and Western/Northern Pakistan. There is also a large Pashtun Diaspora living in Canada especially in Ontario.
  
  PRAP Center Canada recognizes that there is considerable misperception and misinformation regarding Pashtun people in the international media and literature, reflecting a false image of the Pashtun people. Throughout history regional and international powers have used Pashtun people to pursue their own geo political goals. Pashtuns were described as a useful martial race in the context of the "Great Game" by the nineteenth century English writer Rudyard Kipling. At the height of the Cold War, President Ronald Reagan described Pashtun Mujahideen fighting against the occupying USSR army in Afghanistan as the "moral equivalent of the founding fathers". Recently, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan while trying to exonerate his administration from ties with the Taliban asserted that there are strong ideological affiliation and sympathies for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda among the Pashtun people.
  
  PRAP Center Canada through a series of events and publications will project the true aspirations of the Pashtun people.  This will be beneficial for the integration of Pashtun people in the "Global Community" as well as for better understanding of Pashtun people around the world. PRAP Canada will provide positive input towards Canadian foreign policy regarding Afghanistan and Pakistan.
  
  The resurgence of Taliban activity in Afghanistan since the spring of 2005 has once again put the "War on Terror" in international lime light. The insurgency is particularly heavy in Pashtun dominated southern part of Afghanistan where most of the Canadian soldiers are stationed. NATO and the Afghan government link this rise in violence to the safe sanctuaries of Taliban across the border in Pashtun dominated areas of Pakistan. In these border areas, insurgents are getting training, finances and supplies. The network of Madrassas (religious schools) in Pakistan is also churning out thousands of local and Afghan Taliban every year. In response to these allegations, the Pakistani government point to the out of control opium trade, inclusion of warlords in the Afghan government, massive corruption, and disproportionately large proportion of some minority groups on key government posts as reasons for the massive revival of Taliban activities.
  
  PRAP Center believes that the selective portrayal of facts by both Afghan and Pakistani governments is based on their own short-term goals which in turn exacerbate the problem rather then finding solutions. There is a bias against Pashtun people in some segments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan governments, which make it more convenient to portray the Taliban problem as an indigenous Pashtun issue. PRAP asserts that there is very limited support for religious extremism in Pashtun society. On the contrary, better understanding of contemporary Pashtun issues along with confidence building between Pashtun and the international community can be a decisive factor in curbing extremism in the region.
  
  <I>Mission:</I> PRAP Centre - Canada is an independent think-tank that formulates and manages all aspects of research and policy on social, political, cultural, and economic issues relevant to the 50 million Pashtun around the world.
  
  <I>Vision:</I> PRAP Centre - Canada envision a highly professional, competent and responsive think-tank that is fully capable of achieving our mission in a clear, sound, timely, relevant, accurate, effective and efficient way.