Islamabad: (TDI): Senior diplomats, policymakers and experts in an international conference in Islamabad strongly condemned India’s recent airstrikes inside Pakistan, terming them a blatant act of war and a violation of international law, while calling for enhanced regional cooperation to address security, climate and humanitarian challenges.
Organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Pakistan office, the conference, “Pakistan and the Region: Enhancing Regional Connectivity, Addressing Non-Traditional Threats, and Countering Terrorism” featured speakers including German Charge d’Affaires Arno Kirchhof, Senator Mushahid Hussain and Ambassador Sohail Mahmood.
Addressing the event, Arno Kirchhof emphasized that this conference serves a vital purpose in exploring how countries can address security risks and work towards achieving peace through diplomacy that focus on major regional security issues like stability, climate change, regional connectivity, humanitarian challenges, and countering terrorism.
He said that the world is in a reflective period, with nations like Germany still seeking solutions to these complex challenges.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his address, said that the world was witnessing major turbulence and rapid transformation in the global order. In the evolving milieu, Pakistan’s evolving strategic approach now places emphasis on two major shifts: adopting a comprehensive security framework that focuses 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 global policy outlook and is already delivering encouraging results, he said.
The ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan’s solid and enduring strategic partnership with China as a central pillar of regional stability.
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.
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“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.”
he said that 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.
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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, he added.
In his address, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed highlighted the compatibility between the regions, stating that there is emerging regional connectivity under projects like CPEC under the BRI.
He said that this region is the center of gravity for regional connectivity. Organizations are emerging which promote this kind of connectivity, and an example is the ECO.
There is also an initiation of several projects such as TAPI, IPI and other railway projects, he said, adding that non-traditional security challenges continue to pose dangers, such as climate change, population growth, and religious extremism.
Sohail Majeed
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
