(ISSI) – Page 36 – Newswire Pakistan

July 28, 2021July 29, 2021

ISSI-ISIS Malaysia Bilateral Dialogue held

Islamabad, July 28, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) held its first bilateral dialogue with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) based in Malaysia today. The theme of the dialogue was Food Security Cooperation under the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) framework. ISSI side was led by Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and ISIS Malaysia was led by Mr. Shahriman Lockman, Director of Chief Executive’s Office ISIS.

Meanwhile, distinguished panel of speakers included; Assistant Professor Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi; Professor Fatimah Mohamed Arshad Head Agriculture and Food Security Cluster, Academy of Professors of Malaysia (APM); Ms. Yanitha Meena Louis Researcher at ISIS; and Ms. Ume Farwa, Research Associate ISSI. Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director China-Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute moderated the dialogue.

Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, in his opening remarks stated that earlier “OIC focused more on political issues but recently there has been much talk on non-traditional issues, and food security is one such topic which is a win win subject for discussion and dialogue”. For ensuring food security, Ambassador Chaudhry stated that, “we need to increase yield, supplies and for that we need to invest more in R and D in the context of food sufficiency, crop production, climate change etc.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Shahriman Lockman, Director of Chief Executive’s Office ISIS, speaking on behalf of Mr. Herizal Hazari Chief Executive said that “COVID-19 pandemic has been the worst nightmare for food security in several conflict ridden OIC countries”. And for OIC countries critical challenge is ensuring “supply chain stability”.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, Dr. Talat Shabbir Director CPSC, said that sustainable food security is at the core of economic development of any country, and OIC-2025 Plan of Action strongly emphasizes on the development of agriculture sector to attain food security and enhance growth and prosperity across the Muslim world.

This was followed by a working session where four learned experts made presentations and exchanged views on the theme. Speaking at the occasion, Ms. Ume Farwa, Research Associate, stated that “the most important source of food security is agriculture, yet in many countries agricultural sector is still not utilized to its potential. She also highlighted the crucial role being played by the OIC for promotion of food security and argued that OIC should treat its members preferably according to their needs.”

Similarly, Ms. Yanitha Meena, an expert at ISIS deliberated on OIC initiatives for empowering South Asia and South East Asian countries in the realm of food security. She highlighted that OIC member states are engaged in multilateral cooperation and can leverage their respective experiences. She emphasized on the need to have greater political will, cooperation and synergy among members’ states of OIC for achieving food security for all.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmed, Assistant Professor at Arid Agriculture University, in his presentation made the case for effective policy coordination between member states. He stated that OIC countries accounts for 28.8% of agricultural area of the world and 13.5% of the world’s total renewable water resources. And effective and sustainable agricultural management and policy-making could play a pivotal role in enhancing the development efforts of the Member States.

Meanwhile, Professor Fatimah Mohamed Arshad Head of Agriculture and Food Security Cluster at APM, stated that “food systems are left behind in economic growth so we need a new virtuous cycle to affect the performance of whole food systems”. As for OIC members “various challenges faced by OIC include, every country for itself thinking, thus, no ‘one’ measure fits all, and coordination at all levels is required to prioritize short-term and long-term priorities”.

These presentations were followed by a brief Q and A session. The discussion was insightful and constructive. Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, concluded the dialogue by thanking speakers and participants for their valuable input.

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/

July 27, 2021July 28, 2021

Book Launch on “Pakistan’s Response towards Terrorism – A Case Study of Musharraf Regime”

Islamabad, July 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):India Study Centre (ISC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organized a book launch event titled, “Pakistan’s Response towards Terrorism – A Case Study of Musharraf Regime” authored by Dr. Shabana Fayyaz on July 27, 2021. Various distinguished national and international experts attended the book launch in person and virtually.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, congratulated Dr. Shabana by giving her due credit for producing a worthy literature and said that her book is a good addition to the literature. While giving the reference of the book DG ISSI said that concept of traditional security has not transmitted into citizen security and there should be equal focus on state as well as on human security. However, there is emerging consensus in Pakistan on human security and Islamabad Security Dialogue is the tangible testimony of that, he added.

Earlier in his introductory remarks, Dr. Saif Malik, Director, India Study Centre, ISSI, maintained that the book is a valuable contribution in the existing body of knowledge on the subject matter. To him the most fascinating aspects of the book are the couple of fundamental questions raised by the author which could pave the way for further research especially rotating around the notion of the security doctrine. Also the unique aspect of the book is sources of information and the data collection from the primary sources/ stakeholders and the field trips conducted during her research.

Dr. Shabana Fayyaz, the author of the book and the Chairperson Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, thanked ISSI for launching her book. In her remarks she said that terrorism is a very deep topic, the topic she opted for the book is based on her research on doctoral level. While writing a book, she had interviewed more than 100 people including Pakistani former President General Pervez Musharraf and Pakistani former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. She further said that unless we invest in the fabric of the people, we cannot get desired objectives.

Mr. Ihsan Ghani, Former National Coordinator, NACTA in his video message said that in order to legitimize his role General Pervez Musharraf supported ultraconservative groups in Pakistan. Mr. Ghani further said that Musharraf remained unsuccessful in formulation of national security policy.

Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain, Head of Department of Government and Public Policy at NUST Islamabad congratulated Dr. Shabana by giving her due credit for producing a worthy literature for the academic community and turning her PhD dissertation into a book. Dr. Hussain said that it is the first book with detailed study of the Musharraf regime’s response to the events of 9/11.

Dr. Hussain endorsed Dr. Shaban’s prognosis that “Pakistan’s problem of terrorism will not end with the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. Non-state infrastructure of violence existed in Pakistan, prior to 9/11, as a consequence of Pakistan’s traditional national security policy. Pakistan’s changed foreign policy in response to 9/11 only pitted part of this infrastructure against the Pakistani state and triggered incidents of violence and terrorism across Pakistan. Thus, even if the U.S. war in Afghanistan comes to an end, Pakistan’s interface with terrorism will continue till such time that the state’s policies and priorities converge on eradicating the root causes domestically.”

Dr. Yang Da, Professor of International Politics, Ghuizhou University, Guiyang, China in his video message admired the author for her excellent work. Dr. Da said that he was very impressed by the scholastic work as the book also sheds light on human history. Research methodology of the book is empirical and qualitative. The book also gives a theoretical framework for understanding of the topic, he added.

Mr. Muhammad Ali Babakhel, Director General Research, NACTA, was impressed with work of the writer in her book in which she conducted 124 interviews that speaks the value of the book. Mr. Babakhel said that the writer has raised very pertinent questions about the terrorism. It is very difficult to find proper definition of the terrorism. He further said that in order to prolong his legitimacy Pervez Musharraf started countering terrorism with an aim of getting international support. He also confessed the idea of the writer that there should be a strong relationship between the state and citizens. The writer should be appreciated for highlighting very sensitive topic in a very candid way, he added.

Chief Guest -Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman, Senate Defence Committee expressed that it is very fascinating to see that a very important part of the history has been written by Pakistani writer. As a matter of fact, such books are mostly are written by the foreign writers. Dr. Shabana Fayyaz needs to be admired for her valuable work in which she produced very empirical work. In his speech Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed also gave the reference of the book titled “Bush at War” written by Bob Woodward.

In this book the writer articulated that soon after 9/11 on September 14, 2001, the US policymakers perceived the emerging threats to the US such as global terrorism, nuclear proliferation and rising China. The Senator added that terrorism is an indigenous problem of Pakistan and its root causes are internal. While, internal weaknesses are exploited by the external actors. He further reiterated that though we established National Counter Terrorism Authority NACTA, we have not empowered NACTA as yet. And Security has to be refined, he added.

Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BoG, ISSI in his concluding remarks said there are many lessons we need to learn from the book. There is a linkage between internal and external security. The emerging challenges of no-state actors require deep analysis. New thinking has to be developed how to counter the new developments in security domain. We have to adapt the realistic approach, he added.

July 2, 2021

Pakistan ASEAN Experts Dialogue “Pakistan-ASEAN: Shared Future and the Way Forward”

Islamabad, July 02, 2021 (PPI-OT):“ASEAN has transformed into a vibrant 10-member Organization, an increasingly integrated economic community, and a central pillar of regional architecture. Pakistan needs to prioritize five areas of cooperation with ASEAN, which include: strengthening of Pak-ASEAN connectivity, support for the business communities to comprehensively upgrade economic cooperation with ASEAN countries, focus on tourism, explore avenues of cooperation in Science and Technology, IT and higher education and lastly deepen our cultural exchanges.”

This was stated by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Mr. Sohail Mahmood who was the Chief Guest at the Pakistan-ASEAN Experts Dialogue titled, “Pakistan-ASEAN: Shared Future and the Way Forward“, organized by the Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with the Indonesian Embassy and the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad (ACI) today.

The members of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad included the Chairman of the Committee, H.E. Mr. Adam M. Tugio, Indonesian ambassador in Islamabad; H.E. Mr. Nguyen Tien Phong, ambassador of Vietnam; Mr. Abdul Mubdi Osman, Charge d’Affaires, High Commission of Brunei Darussalam; Mr. Lutfee, Charge d’Affaires, embassy of Thailand; Mr. San Yu Kyaw, Minister Counsellor, embassy of Myanmar; Mr. Dan Erwin Bagaporo, Third Secretary and Vice Consul, embassy of Philippines; and Mr. Deddy Faisal Ahmad Salleh, Charge d’Affaires, Malaysia who joined on zoom.

Speakers from Indonesia and Pakistan made short presentations on three dimensions of Pakistan-ASEAN cooperation including political and security cooperation; economic collaboration; and socio-cultural cooperation. The speakers included: Dr. Dewi Fortuna, Indonesian Academy of Sciences; Dr. Fithra Faisal Hastiadi, Executive Director of Next Policy; Dr. Shofwan Al Bana, Executive Secretary, ASEAN Study Centre; Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, DG, ISSI; Dr. Usman Chohan, Director, Economic Affairs, CASS; and Ambassador Mian Sanaullah, former ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia.

Director CSP, Mr. Najam Rafique moderated the dialogue and said that it seeks to bring together experts and practitioners of policy together to make recommendations for a comprehensive engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN under Pakistan’s Vision East Asia and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s desire for geo-economic engagement with regional countries.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, Director General ISSI, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that this is the start of a process, and that such dialogues help in generating ideas for future engagement. The Chairman of the ASEAN Committee in Islamabad, H.E. Adam M. Tugio in his introductory remarks stated that this is a good forum to increase collaboration between ASEAN and Pakistan and it is time to extend the scope of this relationship by having multidimensional cooperation.

During Session-I, titled, ‘Pakistan-ASEAN: Political and Security Cooperation’, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, in his presentation, shed light on the changing world order, declining multilateralism, US-China rivalry in Asia-Pacific and its effects globally. He further stated that we require a delicate balancing act and that Pakistan must increase its cooperation with ASEAN and a quantum leap is required in this regard. Prof. Dr. Dewi Fortuna, in her presentation stated that we must look at the ASEAN’s vision of inclusivity and work on two areas of cooperation, the normative sphere and the technical areas. Dr. Dewi further said that there is great potential for Pakistan-ASEAN relations.

In the Session-II on ‘Pakistan-ASEAN: Dimension of Economic Cooperation’, Dr. Usman spoke at length about Pak-ASEAN economic relations. He appreciated Pakistan’s foreign policy shift to geo-economics and expressed his optimistic views on building deeper economic ties. Dr. Fithra Faisal Hastiadi offered a succinct analysis on effectively tapping the economic potential of ASEAN. He said that in the modern era, although the geographical distances have reduced to nothing yet the non-geographical distances do matter. He shed light on cultural and political barriers in this regard. He said that ASEAN region is highly dynamic and offers an interactive window to the interested players on the basis of soft and open regionalism. He suggested that an interactive strategy must be followed for productive and effective outcomes.

In the Session-III on ‘Pakistan-ASEAN: Future of Socio-Cultural Cooperation’, Ambassador Mian Sannaullah stressed upon considering the social network of ASEAN countries. Talking about the concept of ASEAN community, he elaborated on its three main pillars: political-security, economic and socio-cultural. He said that the impact of social and cultural linkages cannot be ignored in Pakistan-ASEAN relations. Dr. Shofwan Al Banna in his presentation suggested that exchange of inspirational ideas and personalities are of critical importance. He referred to the works of Pakistan’s national poet, Muhammad Iqbal who is a well-known literary figure in Indonesia. He said that there is ample room for cooperation in the fields of academic exchange and people-to-people contacts.

The dialogue concluded with remarks by Ambassador Tugio with a proposal for an interactive engagement between Pakistan and ASEAN in order to analyze each and every aspect of Pak-ASEAN relations. In his vote of thanks, Chairman BoG, ISSI, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood thanked all the participants for making this dialogue a successful event while making a case for nurturing socio-cultural ties and economic linkages with the ASEAN countries.

June 30, 2021July 1, 2021

Panel Discussion on “Conversations on the Afghan Peace Process: Turkey’s Role in Afghanistan”

Islamabad, June 30, 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: Turkey’s Role in Afghanistan’ which is the first in a series of conversations CAMEA will be having on Afghanistan – under its Conversations on the Afghan Peace Process series.

The distinguished speakers included: Ambassador Haroon Shaukat, Former Ambassador of Pakistan to Turkey; Dr. Merve Seren, Assistant Professor at Ankara Yildirim Beyazıt University, Department of International Relations; Dr. Zalmai Nishat, Researcher at the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS); Dr. Salim Cevik – Researcher at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) and Dr. Murat Aslan, SETA Security Researcher and Faculty Member of Hasan Kalyoncu University (Turkey). Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General, ISSI also took part in the discussion. Mr. Muhammad Yaseen, Research Associate at CAMEA gave a brief presentation on Turkey’s role in Afghanistan.

During her opening remarks, Ms. Amina Khan, Director CAMEA, said that perplexed by instability in Afghanistan, there is a realization within the region that geopolitical dynamics are not what they used to be, new and multiple actors that have taken centre stage and strategic rivalries over and in Afghanistan have increased. There is a realization that they no longer can stay on the sidelines, nor depend on the international community, but rather it is time for regional ownership. One such country is Turkey, which has played a substantive role in Afghanistan such as its role in NATO, Istanbul Process or Turkey’s developmental assistance to Afghanistan.

In light of the recent announcement by the US to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by July 2021, President Erdogan said that Turkey was seeking Pakistan and Hungary’s involvement in the security of Kabul airport after the withdrawal of foreign troops. While there is talk of this proposed mechanism, the modalities of this mechanism remain unclear. While the whole world closely follows the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan along with the rather hasty withdrawal of foreign forces, that too in the absence of an intra-Afghan negotiated settlement, the future of Afghanistan remains uncertain to say the least.

Ambassador Chaudhry said that an unstable Afghanistan would not only be a nightmare for the whole region but more so for Pakistan. He said that the people of Pakistan unanimously advocate for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, believe that there is no military solution and instead the best chance for peace in Afghanistan is through a political process which unfortunately is at a stalemate currently. Regarding Turkey’s role in Afghanistan, he said that Turkey is a respected name in Afghanistan and has not only been helping Afghanistan through political means such as by hosting various trilaterals aimed at starting a sustainable peace process but by also being a viable economic development partner to the country.

Ambassador Haroon Shaukat said that Turkey has evolved itself into a reconstruction and capacity building role in Afghanistan. The important question is how to bring the Afghan factions to the point where they can be convinced for peace talks. Turkey has an advantage of being at a distance in terms of geography and so does not have the same baggage that Pakistan has to face due to geographical proximity. Turkey can work with regional neighbours and global powers to help the Afghans reach the objectives of the peace agreement. There is currently a two pronged problem, the first is to bring the Afghan factions in harmony and the second is to bring in neighbouring countries to officially take part in the process instead of merely backing their respective faction.

Dr. Merve Seren said that the US will never leave Afghanistan because that means giving space to China and Russia to an energy rich country with mineral value. Turkey’s presence in Kabul is also important for a lot of international organizations present in Kabul. However notwithstanding this, Turkey’s exact role needs to be further clarified. It can act as an economic, diplomatic and social supplement in Afghanistan. Turkey’s existence in Afghanistan needs to be legitimized through a UN Resolution and the Afghan government needs to make Turkey’s presence official as well through government channels. She also said that the Kabul airport is the heartland of Kabul and Kabul is the heartland of Afghanistan, hence it is important.

Dr. Zalmai Nishat said that the depth of the Turkish-Afghanistan can be seen in Turkey’s multifaceted role over the years which has also included assistance in health, education and social development. He foresaw a large Turkish role in Afghanistan. First in internal consensus building among Afghanistan’s multi ethnic populace and second in regional consensus building. He said that nation building in Afghanistan is not as strong as compared to Turkey. Attempts for reconciliation have existed for a decade but the Taliban either refused to sit with the Kabul government calling them puppets of the US or demanded direct talks with the US. A post withdrawal scenario in Afghanistan is yet to take shape, he said. It needs to be analysed how the Taliban are so successful in Afghanistan with only around 15 percent public support. In this regard, the role of neighbouring countries is very important, he said.

Dr. Salim Cevik said that Turkey has remained as a non-combat force and relied on its economic, cultural, health and educational contributions. Unlike colonial powers, Turkey has always treated the Afghan people as equal. Any negotiations will see Turkey taking substantial risks. As long as the Taliban agree to a Turkish role, only then can Turkey play a part. On the question of whether there will be a complete US withdrawal from Afghanistan, he said there will not be a complete withdrawal. For instance, there will also remain some forces in Kabul airport to assist Turkish forces and provide security. On the question of China and Russia’s role in Afghanistan with regards to Turkey he said that there will be simultaneous competition and cooperation. Here he cited an example of Turkey and Russia in Libya and Syria.

Dr. Murat Aslan said that Turkey’s policies in Afghanistan are based on a shared interest policy opposed to one based on self-interest. Afghanistan interests lie in a peaceful stable country in order for any development project to be realised. Likewise for Turkey, there needs first and foremost there must be a consensus in Afghanistan in order to embark on any prosperity projects in Afghanistan in the future. Afghans should talk and build census on how to proceed in post withdrawal. Merely a security oriented approach regarding the Kabul airport is not enough.

June 30, 2021July 1, 2021

Webinar on “Cyber Technologies and Responsible State Behaviour: Achieving Peace, Security and Sustainable Development”

Islamabad, June 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Arms Control and Disarmament Center (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad organised a webinar on “Cyber Technologies and Responsible State Behaviour: Achieving Peace, Security and Sustainable Development” on June 29, 2021. The eminent speakers included Brig. Mohammad Yasin, Senior Advisor SDPI, Dr. Tughral Yamin, Associate Dean CIPS, NUST and Dr. Khashif Kifayat, Dean Computer Sciences, Air University Islamabad.

Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC-ISSI, in his introductory remarks said that the use of cyber technologies has transformed our lives and providing us with endless possibilities to transform our future. The world is already witnessing a growing competition between major players to dominate each other in cyberspace. There is a likelihood that the growing use of cyber technologies is going to affect individuals and states and peace, security and development. In this regard, states should ensure the protection of cyberspace from cyber threats and cyberwarfare to safeguard their social, economic and national security interests.

Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, in his welcome remarks said cyber technologies are changing the way humans lead their life. Its use can be positive or negative. It is the malicious use that is of concern. There is a need to regulate it at the regional and global levels. It is important to generate debate on responsible state behaviour in the cyber realm.

Ms. Aamna Rafiq, Research Associate ACDC-ISSI, in her briefing said it is critical to identify new ways to unlock the full potential of cyber technologies for human development. These developments could be an essential building block in the ability to achieve the Global Goals in 2030. She said that it is essential to establish an international regime to regulate cyberspace and promote responsible state behaviour.

Brig. Mohammad Yasin, while speaking on “Cybersecurity for Sustainable Development” said that there has been a rapid increase in cyber-attacks globally over the last few years. There is a deep relation between cybersecurity and growth and development. Pakistan has many challenges in the realm of cybersecurity. He said that Pakistan’s cybersecurity approach is weak, disorganised, and superficial. Public and private organisations are working in isolation. There is no coordination between the armed forces of the country. He emphasised the need to work to secure the country’s infrastructure. Pakistan now has a cybersecurity regulation. All stakeholders must work together to devise best practices. He stressed that there can be no sustainable development without cybersecurity.

Dr. Tughral Yamin spoke on “Building a Cyberspace Regime for Security and Peace: A Regional Approach.” He said the cyberspace regime should be part of the overarching national security architecture. He suggested that it should have joint ownership of all the stakeholders including the military-civil sector and corporate sector. It should cover all legal aspects but should not be at the cost of the citizens’ digital rights. He said it should be adopted with consensus through the parliament. He said that cybersecurity should be on top of the national and global agenda. He said that a regional approach is possible through the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) or Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The SCO is a better forum because it is not hostage to India Pakistan rivalry.

Dr. Khashif Kifayat, in his remarks on “International Cooperation for Peaceful Uses of Cyber Technologies: A Case for Pakistan,” said that in today’s world cyberspace is increasingly important because our dependence is increasing. He talked about the human factor in cybersecurity. He especially talked about online child exploitation that is hitting the entire world very hard. He said that this could be a common ground for international cooperation. Another area where global cooperation could be very fruitful is the banking sector. This is a sector where we can collaborate internationally to stop cyber crimes which cause financial losses. He emphasised the need to develop human resources in Pakistan to tackle the problem of cybersecurity.

The webinar was followed by an interesting question and answer session. In his concluding remarks, Amb. Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BOG ISSI, said that cyber technologies could help accelerate the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are also helping in peacekeeping efforts and better governance. There are great benefits to cyber technologies but it has its costs. These techs can be misused to launch like cyberattacks. These threats are increasing in sophistication and inflicting major financial losses to countries corporations and individuals. He pointed that access to cyberspace and its misuse by non-state actors is a source of concern and can create havoc. As cyber technologies keep evolving, so there is a need to promote measures to promote responsible behaviour in the form of a legal framework, awareness, and skill development.

June 23, 2021June 24, 2021

In-House Meeting of Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad held

Islamabad, June 23, 2021 (PPI-OT):The Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised an In-House Meeting under Chatham House rules on “Current State of Relations between Pakistan and France: Challenges and Way Forward” on June 22, 2021 at ISSI.

Mr. Amjad Aziz Qazi, Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in Paris was the keynote speaker at the meeting. Ambassador Ghalib Iqbal, former Ambassador of Pakistan to France and Dr. Uzma Shujaat, Director, Area Study Centre for Europe, Karachi University also participated in the meeting as main discussants.

The participants discussed the challenges, prospects and the way forward for improving bilateral relations between Pakistan and France. They made some valuable and positive suggestions to break the current deadlock and improve Pakistan-French relations. The suggestions and recommendations in this regard will be shared with the relevant officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other stakeholders.