Lahore, May 17, 2022 (PPI-OT):Dr. Rabia Akhtar (Director, Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR)) on February 11, 2022, spoke online at the 8th South Asian Media and Cultural Studies Conference organized by the University of Florida. In her talk titled ‘From Chaos to Cooperation: Framework for Regional Security in South Asia’, Dr. Akhtar shed light on the evolving security dynamics in the wider region, including South Asia. She argued that there are plenty of sources and drivers of conflict and chaos in the region. She added that the role of extra-powers, including the United States, has not necessarily promoted cooperation.
If anything, she said, militarized alliances meant to fight one country are stopping countries from exploring the pathways to regional connectivity and integration. She said that with Pakistan committing to expanding its geo-economics footprints in the region and beyond, it desires nothing but peace in the region. However, she warned that India’s drift towards religious extremism, coupled with its trying to ignore the forces of connectivity in the region on behest of outside powers, would certainly jeopardize peace in the region.
She said that China’s approach to international relations and geopolitics could come in handy only if India endeavours to show flexibility for mutual strategic gains anchored in economic development. She argued that cooperation is an imperative in the region, simply because a plethora of security challenges, traditional and non-traditional, cannot be dealt with by one or some actors.
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