ISLAMABAD, JULY 31 (DNA): The Institute of Regional Studies, (IRS) and Beaconhouse National University, (BNU) convened intellectuals and experts for a roundtable discussion on the challenges and opportunities for peace in South Asia following the military clash between Pakistan and India.
Mr. Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, was the Chief Guest, and Gen. Zubair Mahmood Hayat, NI (M), Former CJCSC, was the Guest of Honor.
The policy dialogue was timely as Pakistan seeks a regional and global strategy to restore peace and stability disrupted by India’s risky military doctrine, which escalated regional tensions to the brink of nuclear conflict.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Attaullah Tarar said that peace must be rooted in reciprocity. Pakistan has always played an active role in strengthening peace in South Asia and will continue to play a similar role in the future. However, he cautioned that Pakistan will respond to any aggression against India as it did during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos. He added that Pakistan was fully capable to render a befitting response against any act of aggression. On Kashmir issue, he was of the opinion that the right of Kashmiris to self-determination is now a global agenda and Pakistan will continue to support this struggle steadfastly. Its resolution demands urgency, now more than ever, especially in the wake of recent war between India and Pakistan which triggered the nuclear flashpoint in this region, mainly due to India’s irresponsible behavior.
Amb Jauhar Saleem, President IRS, Dr. Moeed Yusuf, VC BNU and former NSA and Director of Beaconhouse Center for Policy Research Amb. Mansoor Ahmed Khan initiated the discussion with an analysis of South Asia’s security landscape following the Pahalgam incident.
The participants of the dialogue included Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Mr. Khurram Dastgir Khan, Former Minister of Defence and Foreign Affairs, Lt. Gen(r) Nasser Khan Janjua, Former National Security Advisor, Lt. Gen. (r) Aamer Riaz, HI (M), Former President NDU, Admiral (r) Asif Sandila NI (M), former Naval Chief, Air Marshal (r) Saeed Muhammad Khan, former VCAS, Amb. Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, Former Amb. to US, India and China, Amb. Ali Sarwar Naqvi, Executive Director, Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Amb. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Former Foreign Secretary, Lt. Gen. (r) Naeem Khalid Lodhi, Defence Analyst, Mr. Azfar Ahsan, Former Minister for Investment and Chairman of the Board of Investment, Amb. Shafqat Kakakhel, Chairperson, BoG SDPI, and former UN Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Zahid Hussain, Senior Journalist, Author, Dr Maria Sultan, Chairperson & President of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), University, Dr Huma Baqai, Rector Millennium Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship, Former Professor at IBA, Maj. Gen. (r) Kamran Khurshid, Strategic and Security Affairs expert, Mr. Ahmer Bilal Soofi, President Research Society of International Law, & Former Federal Law Minister, and Mr. Fahd Husain, Senior Broadcast Journalist.
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