Tag: (ISSI)

Islamabad, August 29, 2021 (PPI-OT):Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) Seoul, Republic of Korea on August 27, 2021 in a virtual signing ceremony. Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, DG ISSI and Ambassador Younghju OH, President IFANS signed the MoU documents on behalf of both institutes.

Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, Ambassador of Pakistan to South Korea and Ambassador Sangpyo Suh, Ambassador of Republic of Korea to Pakistan also attended the MoU Signing Ceremony. MoU between ISSI and IFANS has established institutional linkage between two leading think-tanks for academic exchange, research collaboration and dialogue on issues of mutual interest. Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Wongi Choe, Head Centre for ASEAN-India Studies at IFANS moderated the ceremony. And, Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director China-Pakistan Study Centre, ISSI delivered vote of thanks.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

Islamabad, August 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) held a webinar on “Evolving Situation in Afghanistan” on August 26, 2021. The distinguished speakers included: Dr. Abdullah Anas , author of ‘To the Mountains: My Life in Jihad, from Algeria to Afghanistan’, Mr. Tamim Asey, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Institute of War and Peace Studies (IWPS), Kabul, Mr. Adam N Weinstein, Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute, Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA, ISSI. Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, Dr. Daud Abdullah, Director Middle East Monitor (MEMO), and Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BOG, ISSI also spoke on the occasion.

During his introductory remarks, Dr. Daud Abdullah stated that the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan was always seen as an affront to what it means to be an Afghan. The reaction which we saw as a result of the invasion was predictable for a country that was never colonised. There had long been a recognition that the war in Afghanistan was unwinnable. Even after the Afghan army mobilized a force, they were unable to reverse the trend of defeat and the invading forces could not motivate young Afghans to fight against their fellow Afghans. He also added that after what he called a ‘misadventure’, the inquisition, export and imposition of western values remains a fantasy. Afghanistan represents a classic case in this regard, he stated.

During his welcome remarks, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that the end of any occupation is an inevitable reality and should be endorsed. He believed that the Taliban could achieve political stability in Afghanistan, provided they form an inclusive setup and honour their commitments and adopt a more moderate outlook. Moreover, the Taliban should honour their promise that Afghan soil will not be used against any other country – something which all of Afghanistan’s neighbours are very sensitive about. He said that the Ashraf Ghani government was dependent on economic assistance from the West, but now the Taliban should not expect any economic assistance from the West. Hence, the Taliban should instead count on trade and transit trade for economic development, especially through Pakistan and Iran.

Dr Abdullah Anas said that though I am Algerian and I live in the UK, my heart remains in Afghanistan. Happiness through military victory is not permanent; the real victory will be a political victory. He said that before we go to the topic of international recognition of the Taliban, we have to solve the issue of a political solution inside Afghanistan. History is a witness that the politics of exclusion and intolerance did not last long. The Taliban need to learn from this and be compelled to shape the future political system of Afghanistan. He added that there needs to be reconciliation between all Afghan factions for enduring peace and stability. Pakistan is like the ‘big brother’ of Afghanistan, which automatically means it has the responsibility of facilitating the establishment of an inclusive political system in Afghanistan. One system, one idea and one faction cannot rule Afghanistan, he concluded.

Dr. Tamim Asey said no single group can rule Afghanistan and any power grab will not survive in Afghanistan. He stated that wars are a costly business and the resources to facilitate war in Afghanistan should be questioned. It is too early to say that the Taliban takeover is a military victory since fighting is still ongoing. He advised the Taliban to accept the diversity of Afghanistan. The way to win peace is to form an inclusive, broad based government. At the moment the smartest policy for the Taliban to secure international support is to first announce their vision, form an inclusive government and not to pursue security trade-offs. If these are not done within the next six months, fighting will re-emerge and Afghanistan will plunge into another civil war. There also needs to be a reset of relations with Pakistan and the Taliban should also rethink their relation with the West. The key is to win peace now, he concluded.

Dr. Adam Weinstein said that Afghanistan has always been beholden to what outside powers want for it. The ideal situation would have been the formation of an inclusive set up in Afghanistan and there was some form of transition instead of the present uncertainty. The previous government in Kabul was mired in strategic incompetence and pursued their own short sighted political gains; as a result, Afghans suffered. He also said if something is not done soon, there will be casualties in Afghanistan due to starvation. It also needs to be ensured that there needs to be the creation of a system where a political equilibrium emerges.

Afghanistan is not a country that can be sustained through cross border trade since it is a country which has been heavily dependent on aid. He also added that the recent ‘Sanction Pakistan’ movement is a laughable proposition because it does not solve any US problem related to Afghanistan. Here he added that though Pakistan does not have complete leverage over the Taliban, it is in Islamabad’s interest to work with the Taliban government and form an inclusive government.

Ms. Amina Khan stated that there is no doubt that with the announcement of the US withdrawal, in the absence of a negotiated settlement, a military takeover by the Taliban was expected, the manner, and the speed at which the group has taken over, along with the tactics employed was certainly not anticipated. While many were foreseeing bloodshed, unlike the past, the Taliban have so far adopted non offensive tactics, and thus by far the transition process has been relatively smooth.

The Taliban have assured that they will not resort to any sort of violence in fear that they will lose the support and recognition the group so badly needs from the international community to legitimize their rule even if it is within the context of an inclusive set up. The Taliban have been holding meetings with major Afghan stakeholders and while there are some signs of resistance, it appears that key Afghan stakeholders / factions are willing to work with the Taliban in this inclusive political set up we keep on hearing about. She concluded by stating that Afghanistan must be viewed as a collective and shared responsibility – which entailed ensuring the formation of an inclusive political setup that is acceptable to all.

In his conclusion remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood stated that the Afghan war ended with a great human and economic loss and one thing which is certain is that Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires. He did not think the US has completely withdrawn from the region and remains a pre-eminent power. Sensitivity needs to be shown to the local culture and multilateralism needs to be reinforced. To have credibility there need to be no double standards, he said. The Taliban should be aware that international legitimacy needs to be earned.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

Islamabad, August 26, 2021 (PPI-OT):China Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad hosted Youth Delegation from South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI), on August 25, 2021. The SASSI delegation was led by Dr. Maria Sultan, Director General SASSI.

Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, welcome the delegation and gave a briefing on the functioning of the Institute. He highlighted aims and objectives; work of five Centers of Excellence; and activities of the Institute. He noted that “ISSI works to promote research, dialogue and provides policy input.” He also shed light on the institutional linkages of ISSI with national and international think-tanks.

Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry Director General ISSI delivered a talk on Pakistan’s foreign policy and regional outlook. He deliberated on key foreign policy trends influencing Pakistani foreign policy such as US-China competition, an aggressive India under Modi, navigating Saudi-Iran tensions, projecting Kashmir dispute, managing changes in Afghanistan, and responding to emerging non-traditional issues.

This was followed by an interactive session, where delegates raised pertinent questions about Pakistan’s foreign policy, regional and global issues. In the end, Dr. Maria Sultan, DG-SASSI delivered a vote of thanks.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

Islamabad, August 25, 2021 (PPI-OT):Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG, Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), participated in an international scientific and practical conference on “20 Years of the SCO: from Regional Forum to Global Recognition” held on August 20, 2021.

In his speech, Ambassador Mahmood said that since its establishment in 2001, the SCO has grown exponentially in terms of its membership, geographical remit, international stature, organisational character and efficiency. The Organisation has evolved to promote peace, stability and progress among its members through cooperating in the domains of security, politics as well as trade, culture, tourism, education, environment and science and technology portfolios. However, the challenges remain. Relentless efforts are required by SCO member states to overcome the hurdles in the way.

He was of the view that the SCO member states have been quite successful in maintaining regional peace and security. However, he emphasised, there is a need to step up their cooperation on issues related to security, drug trafficking, counter-terrorism and bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan.

He mentioned that Pakistan, as a member of SCO, has been promoting the “Shanghai Spirit” and its foreign policy goals are in complete harmony with the Charter of SCO. Islamabad is striving towards enhancing regional connectivity, peace and security, and nurturing cultural linkages with the member states.

He reiterated that the Shanghai Spirit characterised by mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, cooperation, respect for diversified civilizations and common development is very much alive in the SCO. He urged all the member states to persevere the collective efforts to make SCO a strong international organisation to the mutual benefit of all of us. The conference was a part of ongoing celebrations of 20 years of SCO and all the member states participated in it. It was organised by the Centre for Strategic Researches under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

Islamabad, August 18, 2021 (PPI-OT):“From Pakistan’s perspective, the Conference on Disarmament (CD) does not operate in isolation. It is affected by the geopolitical developments at the national and international levels, policy choices of major powers and how the CD members perceive these developments impacting their national security.” This was said by Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to UN, Geneva at the webtalk on “Issues and Debate at the Conference on Disarmament (CD): A View from Pakistan.” The webtalk was organised by the Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) on August 17, 2021. Various distinguished national and international experts attended the webtalk. Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director-General ISSI welcomed the participants.

Ambassador Hashmi pointed out the CD’s membership and its composition of militarily significant countries, the rules of procedures and mechanisms, the agenda of achieving nuclear disarmament and absence of civil society’s participation are major and constant internal variables that affect CD’s working. There are ongoing debates regarding further extension of membership, revision of agenda and amendment of rules and procedures. Numerous proposals had been tabled but they did not get much attention, he said.

While underlining the external variables, he said that the primary rationale behind CD was to negotiate the treaty of nuclear disarmament, however, the indefinite extension of the NPT somehow legitimised the possession of nuclear weapons and sowed the seeds of existing stalemate at the CD. Other variables are the longstanding and well-founded frustration due to non-compliance of legal obligations, lack of forwarding movement on the issue of Negative Security Assurances (NSA), deliberate disregard for established norms of global arms control and disarmament regime, growing mistrust among member states and contest for prioritising the issues among major powers.

While highlighting the prospects, he opined that the progress at CD in terms of negotiating any treaty is difficult to achieve due to renewed global arms race, doctrinal shifts and growing competition and antagonism among major powers. Therefore, there is a need to reverse the policies that caused the stalemate and revive the old global consensus on the issue of nuclear disarmament. He also drew attention to the integration of AI with existing weapons, nanotechnologies, synthetic material, militarisation of cyberspace, hypersonic missile race as matters of serious concern, which must be brought to the CD agenda. However, there is little appetite among major powers to bring them to the agenda. “Currently, there are no clear solutions and the global landscape for arms control and disarmament is not bright,” he said.

Earlier in his introductory remarks, Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC-ISSI, said that the CD succeeded in negotiating the NPT, CWC, BWC and CTBT, however, the Conference is facing deadlock for more than two decades for not reaching a consensus on its programme of work. The new nuclear arms race, the demise of arms control treaties and agreements, military modernisation and weaponisation of outer space, militarisation of emerging technologies and new emerging realities are going to impact this impasse at the CD. He said that the CD should adopt a comprehensive, objective and rule-based approach to break the deadlock and deal with the existing and emerging challenges.

In her remarks, Ambassador Tehmina Janjua, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, said that CD should not be seen as ineffective and irrelevant. The CD is a forum where Pakistan’s views are sought, heard, understood and greatly valued. It is an important strategic forum where Pakistan can bring to attention the security challenges it is facing in the region because of the special treatment given to India. Pakistan is focused on NSA and PAROS but the western countries view the non-proliferation and FMCT as the only negotiable issues, she said.

The Webtalk was followed by an extensive question and answer session. In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG ISSI, said that CD made major progress when conditions were rights but from the last two decades, it is in a stalemate. However, the CD remains an important multilateral body as it could play a greater role in dealing with the challenge of emerging technologies.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/

Islamabad, August 18, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) had a Panel Discussion on ‘Conversations on the Afghan Peace Process: Iran’s Role in Afghanistan’ which is the third in a series of conversations CAMEA will be having on Afghanistan – under its Conversations on the Afghan Peace Process series.

The distinguished speakers included: Dr. Saeed Ghaderi, Researcher at Institute for Political and International Studies (Iran), Prof. Shahram Akbarzadeh, Deputy Director (International) of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Australia, Prof. Amin Saikal, Adjunct Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia, Mr. Mohammad Hashim Pashtun, Adviser for Research and Policy to Kabul Institute for Peace, Dr. Mohsen Shariatinia, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Shahid Beheshti University ( Iran) and Ambassador Asif Durrani, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Iran. Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, and Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BOG, ISSI, also took part in the discussion.

During her opening remarks, Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA said that the situation in Afghanistan took a drastic turn when the Taliban took over, declaring the war in Afghanistan over. Despite assurances, President Ashraf Ghani made an unceremonious exit, leaving the Afghan masses angered, confused and most importantly abandoned. With the US exit and in the absence of a negotiated settlement, a military takeover by the Taliban was expected, the manner and speed at which the group has taken over was certainly not anticipated, nor was the relatively smooth manner in which transition has taken place. While there has been talk of an inclusive political set up, little is known about its mandate and structure.

Until then, Afghanistan will continue to be a major issue of concern for the international community and more so for the region. Perplexed by instability in Afghanistan, regional actors like Iran have come to the forefront to play a more proactive and prominent role in Afghanistan. Considering the repercussions Iran has faced, Tehran shares a consolidated view with its neighbours over Afghanistan, entailing regional ownership, recognition of a inclusive political settlement, and role of the Taliban as a major component of a peaceful settlement as well as curbing transnational terrorist groups like the IS.

Ambassador Aizaz said that events in Afghanistan are unfolding at a breath taking pace that has surprised everyone. In the last seven years during Ashraf Ghani’s rule, Pakistan has suffered tremendously as the Afghan government allowed India to operate against Pakistan from their soil. It remains to be seen what kind of government will come to Kabul and what approach Afghanistan’s neighbours will adopt. In this regard, regional countries have been calling for an inclusive government. He said one issue of important concern is to consider humanitarian assistance for the displaced Afghans.

Dr. Saeed Ghaderi stated that Iran is closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and is trying to have reconciliation inside Afghanistan. The Taliban must manage the situation peacefully with an inclusive government. Peace in Afghanistan now depends on the actions of the Taliban and the success of dialogue depends on the level of rationality in the Taliban leadership. He voiced concern about how much the Taliban are open to changing their strategy and attitudes specifically towards the Shia minority in Afghanistan. Iran wants a strong and inclusive government in Kabul that could deliver governance in Afghanistan. Iran, being Afghanistan’s neighbour, expects the Taliban to play a constructive role in addressing the regional challenges. Unlike other countries, Iran does not have any favourite group in Afghanistan. Violence and war are never the solutions, he said.

Prof. Shahram Akbarzadeh said that the leadership in Iran has been sending messages that the Taliban have changed and has been trying to play a hedging game by engaging with both the Kabul government and the Taliban. Iran has traditionally looked at the Taliban as a power to undermine the US since Tehran had been very concerned about the US using Afghan soil to enforce regime change in Iran.

He said that the Iranians are aware of their limitations and though Iran has ambitions of becoming a regional power they have economic constraints. On China he said that Beijing has several concerns over the situation in Afghanistan particularly in terms of Chinese projects for regional connectivity, hence China has a significant role and interest in Afghanistan as it is trying to expand regional connectivity as well as trying to create its image of a friendly regional actor and neighbour.

On Iran’s potential role in Afghanistan, Prof. Amin Saikal said that the Taliban take over in Afghanistan is a very positive development for Tehran particularly regarding US withdrawal. As long as the government in Kabul is not hostile to Iran, does not cause security concerns and controls refugee flow to Iran as well as addresses bilateral issues such as the distribution of water, Tehran will be very happy with the new regime in Kabul.

He was of the view that though the Taliban ideology has not changed their tactics certainly have changed, particularly with regards to regional and international recognition. If a Taliban government wants to be successful they have learned that it is important for their legitimacy to get recognition from the international community. Hence, Iranians will be watching the formation of the government closely and whether the minority Shia population of Afghanistan will have representation in the government.

Dr. Mohsen Shariatinia said at the moment it was difficult to say anything about Iran’s role in Afghanistan as things are uncertain at the moment. Taliban is neither a friend nor a foe for Iran. There are grave concerns of academia and the public in Iran, which view these developments as part of a new great game in the region. Failure of US-led regime change in Afghanistan is a positive development for Tehran. It could pave the way for a potential regional solution to mitigate the crisis in coordination with Pakistan, Turkey, Russia, and China. He said the Taliban’s ideology and international communities’ behaviour towards recognizing the Taliban are two significant points for Iran to consider before recognizing the Taliban.

Ambassador Asif Durrani said that US sanctions and rivalry have pushed Iran to coordinate with the Taliban against US interests in Afghanistan. On the diplomatic level Taliban are now not alien to the international community and this will probably influence Iran’s stance towards the Taliban. He said that there will be a level of maturity in the future events which will take place in Afghanistan. Though the absence of anticipated violence in Afghanistan has given hope, nothing can be said for sure regarding Afghanistan as events can always change rapidly. With regards to India, he said, at the moment, India does not have a direct role in Afghanistan, though, in the past, India did use Afghan soil to carry out activities against Pakistan and tried to open a second front against Pakistan from the West. Pakistan and Iran have stood shoulder to shoulder in their hard times and there is an emerging consensus between Pakistan and Iran regarding Afghanistan.

Mr. Mohammad Hashim Pashtun said that due to the close historical political, cultural, and linguistic relations Iran shares with Afghanistan, the former can surely play a vital role in Afghanistan. Moreover, Hazara Shia minorities in Afghanistan look towards Iran to safeguard their interests and for their survival in Afghanistan. He said that there has been a positive change in the approach of the Taliban towards a more pragmatic attitude and underlined that while dealing with the Taliban, Iran must remain cognizant that third parties may try to play the role of a spoiler hence, Tehran must maintain brotherly relations with the government in Kabul for peace and prosperity of the region. Regarding Pak-Afghan relations, he said that the Taliban leadership has always had a positive approach towards Pakistan, which is why it is going to have good relations with Pakistan as this is going to be productive for both sides.

Ambassador Khalid Mahmood said that the relations between Iran and the Taliban were inimical in the past but now the situation has taken a 180 degree turn. Iran now views the Taliban differently. The nature of Iran relations will depend on how much the Taliban put in practice their assurances. So far it looks like they are on the right path which is a good sign.

For more information, contact:
Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI)
Sector F-5/2, Islamabad – 44000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9202481
Fax: +92-51-9204658
E-mail: strategy@issi.org.pk
Website: http://issi.org.pk/