Latest news with #SohailMahmood
Business Recorder
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Nuclear weapons plan remains ‘sole guarantor of peace in SA': Adviser
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme remains the 'sole guarantor of peace and stability in South Asia,' said Lt Gen Khalid Ahmed Kidwai (retired), Adviser to the National Command Authority, on Friday. He made these remarks at a seminar hosted by the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS) to mark the 27th anniversary of Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests, widely commemorated as Youm-e-Takbeer. This year's observance assumed added significance in the aftermath of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Indian military actions, including Operation Sindoor, were widely criticised by speakers at the event as reckless provocations designed to test Pakistan's thresholds in a nuclearised environment. Pakistan responded with a series of precise retaliatory measures under Operation Bunyan un Marsoos, part of the broader Marka-e-Haq campaign. Experts at the seminar said the response reasserted deterrence, restored strategic balance, and marked what they described as a 'decisive paradigm shift' in the regional balance. 'It showcased Pakistan's credible nuclear capability and reaffirmed that this deterrent —operationalised through Full Spectrum Deterrence (FSD) — serves as the cornerstone of peace and strategic stability in South Asia,' said one speaker, adding that the mini-war underscored the deterrent's enduring role in preserving peace. The seminar featured senior officials and strategic thinkers, including Ambassador SohailMahmood, Director General of the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI); Muhammad Naeem, former Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC); Dr Adil Sultan, Dean of Air University; and Brig Dr Zahirul Haider Kazmi (retired), Adviser on Arms Control at the Strategic Plans Division (SPD). Speakers observed a pattern in India's behaviour — using false flag operations as a casus belli to justify limited strikes against Pakistan while disregarding the prevailing nuclear environment. They warned that such actions risk dangerous miscalculations. They emphasised that Pakistan's nuclear capability is a strategic necessity that has effectively deterred full-scale war, even as threats have evolved in complexity and domain. The panel stressed that Pakistan now possesses a comprehensive toolkit of both kinetic and non-kinetic options to respond to any future Indian provocations, and that its response will follow a Quid Pro Quo Plus (QPQ+) approach — swift, proportionate, and precise — designed to neutralize aggression and compel de-escalation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Regional stability: Strategic partnership with China termed ‘central pillar'
ISLAMABAD: 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 Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General ISSI, Arno Kirchhof, Charge d'Affaires, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Islamabad. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed was the chief guest on the occasion. DG ISSU 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 prioritises 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. Arno Kirchhof emphasised 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. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Report on situation of J&K to be presented at OIC CFMs
ISLAMABAD: OIC Special Envoy on Jammu and Kashmir, Ambassador Yousef Aldoubeay has informed that a detailed report on the situation of Jammu and Kashmir would be presented in the upcoming meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFMs). He said that Jammu and Kashmir is one of the oldest disputes on the agenda of both the UN as well as the OIC. He stressed that not only the OIC as an organization, but every member of the OIC extends firm support to the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their struggle for the right of self-determination. India Study Centre (ISC) of the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad organized an event in collaboration with the Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK) titled 'Conflict Resolution Workshop. The occasion was graced by Ambassador Yousef Aldoubeay, Special Envoy of OIC Secretary General on Jammu and Kashmir. He said there are two reasons for his current visit to Pakistan. One is to learn and see the changing dynamics of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, particularly following the Indian steps of August 5, 2019. In this regard, a visit to Muzaffarabad and meeting with the people and officials there had been extremely helpful. The second reason for the visit is to give reassurance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and reiterate OIC's firm commitment to the just cause of the Kashmiri people. Following the workshop, where eminent panellists highlighted various aspects of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, certificates were awarded to the participants in recognition of their active engagement in a fellowship programme offered by the YFK. Director General ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his welcome remarks, said that Pakistan values OIC's consistent and unwavering support for the Kashmir cause, which remains at the core of the OIC's agenda. The OIC has unequivocally condemned India's gross and systematic violations of human rights of the Kashmiri people and firmly upheld the Kashmiris' right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and the relevant Security Council resolutions. Pakistan also appreciates the focus of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) Standing Mechanism on monitoring and reporting human rights abuses and serving as a repository for information that helps increase awareness internationally. The situation in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir continues to be a cause for deep concern. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
