Dr Maria Sultan calls for maintaining a calibrated military posture complemented by proactive diplomacy
India has failed to impose a so-called “new normal” so it needs to abandon Operation Sindoor and shift towards diplomacy, realism, and restraint. This was observed by former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) Gen (R) Zubair Mahmood Hayat while addressing as Chief Guest a strategic dialogue titled “India’s Aggression and Pakistan’s Strategic Response: Contemplating the Future Course of Action.” The event was jointly organized by the Information Service Academy (ISA), in collaboration with the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), at the ISA Auditorium.
Gen Zubair noted that sustainable peace must be underpinned by robust security preparedness and observed that “India’s strategic assumptions have proved erroneous
The seminar brought together senior military officials, diplomats, scholars, policy experts, media representatives, researchers and students of international relations to deliberate on evolving regional security dynamics and Pakistan’s strategic outlook.
Ex-CJCSC also shared strategic lessons drawn from recent regional developments, stressing the importance of vigilance, credible deterrence, and strategic prudence.
President SASSI University, Dr. Maria Sultan highlighted the changing regional landscape and emphasized the importance of maintaining a calibrated military posture complemented by proactive and effective diplomacy. She shared valuable insights on regional stability, military preparedness, air power capabilities, and diplomatic engagement.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Ms. Imrana Wazir, Executive Director General, ISA, welcomed the distinguished participants and underscored the importance of informed and objective discourse amid heightened tensions in South Asia. She highlighted Pakistan’s strategic potential and emphasized the need for collective intellectual engagement to effectively address emerging regional and global challenges.
Other distinguished speakers included former Corps Commander General (R) Khalid Rabbani, former Foreign Secretaries Mr. Jauhar Saleem and Mr. Aizaz Ahmad.
An interactive question-and-answer session followed, during which students from various universities posed thoughtful and pertinent questions to the panel, enriching the discussion and reflecting strong academic engagement with the subject.
The dialogue concluded with closing remarks by the Executive Director General, who summarized the key takeaways and reaffirmed confidence in Pakistan’s ability to navigate future security challenges through strategic foresight and prudent decision-making. She noted that this was the first dialogue in a planned series and that similar engagements would be held over the next six months on other relevant and timely topics. She also expressed appreciation for the collaboration and support of the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in making the event successful.
The dialogue was well attended by senior government and military officials, diplomats, representatives from civil society, think tanks, and the media. The active participation of students from diverse universities added depth and vitality to the session, making it both engaging and productive.
