ISSI hosts International Conference on “Pakistan and the Region”

ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT ): The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Pakistan office, hosted a one-day International Conference, titled “Pakistan and the Region: Enhancing Regional Connectivity, Addressing Non-Traditional Threats, and Countering Terrorism.” Speakers at the inaugural session included Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA; Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI; Mr. Hamayoun Khan, Programme Advisor, FES Pakistan; and Mr. Arno Kirchhof, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Islamabad. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Former Minister, was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
Ms. Amina Khan, in her welcome remarks, emphasized that the evolving situation in the region presents both significant challenges and meaningful opportunities for Pakistan, directly impacting its foreign policy, security landscape, and regional economic ambitions. She highlighted Pakistan’s strategic position at the crossroads of South, Central, and West Asia, underscoring its commitment to fostering stable and cooperative ties with Afghanistan and enhancing regional connectivity for mutual prosperity. Ms. Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering stance against terrorism and its continued advocacy for collective security efforts, intelligence sharing, and coordinated counter-terrorism measures. She concluded by noting that while the challenges are considerable, they offer Pakistan a vital opportunity to define its role as a constructive and responsible power.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his remarks, noted that the world was witnessing profound turbulence and rapid transformation in the global order. In the changing milieu, Pakistan’s evolving strategic approach now places emphasis on two key shifts: adopting a comprehensive security framework that prioritizes economic and human well-being, and pivoting to geo-economics while navigating the complexities of geo-politics. This approach is increasingly shaping Pakistan’s regional and international policy outlook and is already delivering encouraging outcomes. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s solid and enduring strategic partnership with China as a central pillar of regional stability. He was of the view that Pakistan’s engagement with Afghanistan has seen renewed momentum in recent months, with high-level exchanges and growing dialogue across security, trade, and people-to-people domains. However, cross-border terrorism remains the most pressing challenge, impacting both Pakistan’s internal security and broader regional stability. Furthermore, he stressed that the region faces growing threats, including the regrouping of terrorist outfits. At the same time, climate change has become an urgent, lived reality. Peace, economic integration, environmental sustainability, and human security are deeply interconnected, making regional cooperation not optional but essential.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood also dwelt on the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, which have now turned into a live conflict. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, he noted, India rushed to blame Pakistan without holding any worthwhile investigations and providing any credible evidence. It then followed up with a slew of measures, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance. This action was legally untenable, while the threat of not letting a drop of water go to Pakistan was morally reprehensible. In the dark of the night of 6-7 May, in an unprovoked attack and what has been described as a “blatant act of war,” India has violated Pakistan’s sovereignty targeting several places in Pakistan and AJK. India’s act of aggression resulted in the martyrdom of civilians, including women and children. Pakistan has strongly condemned India’s cowardly action, which is in flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and the established norms of inter-state relations. Pakistan has stated that it reserves the right to respond appropriately in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and as enshrined in international law.
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, in his remarks, stated that there is a lot of cultural compatibility between the region and that there is emerging regional connectivity under projects like CPEC under the BRI. This region is the centre of gravity for regional connectivity. He further said that organizations are emerging which promote this kind of connectivity, and an example is the ECO. There is also an initiation of several projects like TAPI, IPI and other railway projects. On the other hand, non-traditional security challenges continue to pose difficulties, which include climate change, population growth, and religious extremism, in some cases sponsored by the state, remain a serious challenge. While talking about the midnight aggression by India, he said that it was unprovoked and India has tried to link Pakistan with the incident in Pahalgam without any proof, as has also been stated by the international media. Blaming Pakistan has been their previous pattern; however, some redlines were crossed and Pakistan was giving befitting response. Pakistani civilians have been attacked, resulting in the martyrdom of many and injuring several others. He also cautioned about the RSS ideology/mindset, which was another form of non-traditional security threat in the region.
Mr. Arno Kirchhof emphasized that this conference serves a vital purpose in exploring how nations can address security risks and work towards achieving peace through dialogues that focus on key regional security issues, such as stability, climate change, regional connectivity, humanitarian challenges, and countering terrorism. He noted that the world is in a reflective period, with countries like Germany still seeking solutions to these complex challenges.
Mr. Hamayoun Khan, while giving his remarks highlighted the interconnected nature of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, regional security dynamics, and the rising challenges posed by non-traditional security threats such as climate change and humanitarian crises. He noted that ongoing transitions in Afghanistan continue to shape the broader regional landscape, while climate-induced displacement, food insecurity, and governance challenges call for collaborative, cross-border solutions.
At the outset of the proceedings, a one-minute silence was observed to honour those martyred due to Indian aggression.
Conference’s schedule includes three separate working sessions on: Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations: Challenges and Opportunities; Regional Security and Countering Terrorism: Evolving Threats and Response Strategies; and Addressing Non-Traditional Security Threats: Climate Change and Humanitarian Challenges. Eminent scholars, academics and practitioners from Pakistan and several other countries are participating in the conference.