IPRI holds conference on regional security

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) in collaboration with the Area Study Centre (Russia, China and Central Asia), University of Peshawar held a roundtable conference, a statement said.

University of Peshawar, Area Study Centre Director Professor Dr Shabbir Ahmed and former vice chancellor Dr Azmat Hayat Khan led the guest delegation in the “Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia: The Regional Security and Cooperation” conference.

Scholars from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan sketched a viable picture of integration happening in the region and stressed on buoying cooperation at levels of social strata.

IPRI’s Director Research Brigadier Raashid Wali Janjua (Retd), Brigadier Naveed Ali (Retd), Ambassador Asif Durrani (Retd) and Economic Security Chair Dr Aneel Salman dilated upon the developments, and underscored as to how the philosophy of interdependence and geo-economics is impacting the region.

The role of China was also highlighted, and the speakers remarked that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO), as well as the gigantic energy projects including Central Asia-South Asia power project (CASA1000) and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI), have a long way to go in uniting and connecting the region.

It was noted that despite so much congeniality in the region, not much has been done to promote travel and tourism. The lack of direct flights from Central Asia to Pakistan, and an adamant visa regime is impeding genuine integration, they added.

The focal of discussion evolved around stability in Afghanistan, and how it is impacting the broader security and geopolitical mosaic of the region.

It was observed that since the advent of the Taliban government, access via Afghanistan has improved, and the need for cementing peace is indispensable.

The speakers urged that culture and languages must be promoted, and Pakistan should take concrete steps in introducing Urdu’s vibrancy in Central Asian universities.

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