Overview

The Centre for Peace, Security and Developmental Studies (CPSD) convened a two-day international conference titled “Global Peace Amidst War and Conflict” in Islamabad to address the global decline in peace, shifting geopolitical alignments, and the implications for South Asia. Eminent speakers, diplomats, academics, and strategic thinkers from seven countries, including China, India, Iran, Russia, USA, Turkey, and Pakistan, participated in this multidimensional dialogue.

Day 1: September 17, 2018

Opening Session

• Chief Guest: General Zubair Mahmood Hayat NI(M) – Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC)
  General Hayat emphasized that world powers must focus on the unresolved Kashmir issue and move toward political solutions rather than military ones. He called for peace grounded in pluralism, cooperation over competition, and common values, highlighting the growing concerns about global military expenditures and violent extremism.

Keynote Address

• Senator Sherry Rehman
  Senator Rehman urged for reconsideration of Pakistan’s foreign policy in light of evolving regional security challenges and stressed Pakistan’s role as a problem solver in global peace efforts.

Session: Evolving Global Order

• Chair: Sardar Masood Khan – President, Azad Jammu & Kashmir
  He reiterated the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute and emphasized the importance of preserving institutions and investing in peace and education to prevent global isolation.

Welcome Address

• Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Agha M. Umer Farooq HI(M) – President, CPSD
  He set the stage for the conference by highlighting the emerging world order, the rise of China, and the intensifying geopolitical rivalry in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Panel Discussions

Panel 1: Geopolitics and Transforming Statecraft

• Chair: Amb. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chairman, ISSI

• Speakers:

  • Dr. Marvin Weinbaum (Middle East Institute, Washington D.C.)

  • Mr. Pravin Sawhney (Editor, Force Magazine, India)

  • Amb. Sarwar Naqvi, Executive Director, CISS

  Key insights included the unachievability of military victories in Afghanistan, the potential of energy interdependence, and the possibility of India-Pakistan peace talks due to civil-military alignment in Pakistan.

Panel 2: Global Strategic Shifts

• Speakers:

  • Dr. Natalia Piskunova, Moscow State University

  • Mr. Andrew Small, German Marshall Fund, USA

  • Dr. Wei Zongyou, Fudan University, China

  The panel focused on Russian foreign policy, Belt and Road 2.0, and the Trump administration’s China strategy.

Day 2: September 18, 2018

Session: Transforming Socio-Economic Order

• Chair: Dr. Salman Shah – Former Finance Minister

• Speakers:

  • Dr. Shamshad Akhtar – Former Caretaker Finance Minister

  • Amb. Jehangir Ashraf Qazi

  • Dr. Mandana Tishehyar – Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran

  Key themes included CPEC as a multilateral opportunity, the importance of governance, and China’s role in promoting peace through economic diplomacy.

Session: International Security

• Chair: Amb. Zamir Akram

• Speakers:

  • Dr. Suba Chandran, NIAS, India

  • Dr. S. Gulden Ayman, Istanbul University, Turkey

  • Dr. Tughral Yamin, NUST, Pakistan

  Topics covered cybersecurity gaps in South Asia, mega-urban challenges, and ethno-political integration to reduce conflict. The role of socio-cultural understanding and Sufism in building regional peace was also emphasized.

Session: Hybrid Threats to National Security

• Chair: Lt. Gen. Tariq Waseem Ghazi (Retd.) – Former Defence Secretary

• Speakers:

  • Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Quaid-i-Azam University

  • Lt. Gen. Naeem Khalid Lodhi (Retd.) – Former Caretaker Defence Minister

  • Mr. Ammar Jafferi – Former Additional DG, FIA

  Discussions centered on hybrid warfare, cyber threats, and the importance of indigenous solutions to Pakistan’s security challenges.

Concluding Session

• Chief Guest: Mr. Shehryar Khan Afridi – Minister of State for Interior
  Mr. Afridi stressed the need for a unified global narrative for peace and emphasized that conflict management is a shared responsibility in today’s interconnected world.

• Closing Remarks:

  • Mr. Abdullah Dadabhoy, Chairman, CPSD, expressed gratitude to all speakers and participants.

  • Dr. Arshi Saleem Hashmi, Head, PCS Dept., NDU, presented the conference summary report.

Participating Countries

• China

• India

• Iran

• Russia

• Turkey

• United States

• Pakistan