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ISLAMABAD, JUL 21: In a discussion organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Ambassador Zamir Akram, advisor to the Strategic Plans Division, emphasized the importance of Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining the credibility of deterrence. Highlighting the evolving nature of deterrence in view of advancing technologies, the eminent expert on strategic stability underscored the need to preserve deterrence credibility to enduring peace.
Reflecting on the genesis of conflicts between India and Pakistan, Ambassador Akram emphasized that the territorial disputes stemmed from India’s pursuit of hegemonic policies since 1947. Consequently, Pakistan’s pursuit of security was primarily motivated as a response to India’s aggressive ambitions. He contended that Pakistan’s acquisition of nuclear capability was essential to counter India’s conventional dominance and establish a credible deterrent, which had effectively kept New Delhi from waging war on several occasions in the past.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President IRS, expressed concern that India’s development and acquisition of advanced weapons was contributing to an arms race and eroding the essential strategic stability required for peace in South Asia. He warned that India’s ultra-nationalistic approach was aggravating mistrust among the nuclear states, with negative repercussions for the fragile strategic environment obtaining in the region.
During a vibrant Q & A session, while elaborating on Indo-US cooperation, Amb Akram noted that India — leveraging US cooperation — was adopting a more aggressive stance, as evident by Balakot incident and revocation of Articles 370 and 35 A in IIOJK, while pretending to be a net security provider in the region. He noted that it was in response to India’s belligerent approach that Pakistan was forced to adopt a Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) to ensure credibility of deterrence between the two states.
Ambassador Akram also emphasized the importance of avoiding miscalculations in a sensitive security environment in South Asia and reiterated Pakistan’s dedication to maintaining credible deterrence essential for upholding peace in the region, which necessitates embracing education in science and technology to stay abreast of the latest advancements in technology.
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