In-House Meeting: ISSI Commemorates Youm-e-Takbeer by highlighting the theme “Strategic Stability, Emerging Threats and Role of Diplomacy.
To commemorate Youm-e-Takbeer, the Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), hosted an event on the theme Strategic Stability, Emerging Threats and Role of Diplomacy. The meeting was attended by Professor Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-e-Azam University; Dr. Rizwana Abbasi, Professor at the Department of International Relations, NUML; Air Commodore (Retd) Khalid Banuri, Senior Advisor JCCL, Air Headquarters, Islamabad; and Maj. Gen. Ausaf Ali (Retd.), former Director General Policy, Doctrine and Strategy, SPD.
Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Board of Governors, ISSI, in his welcome remarks, stated that Pakistan’s nuclear capability was shaped by its security imperatives and the need to restore strategic balance in South Asia. He emphasized that Pakistan adopted the nuclear course reluctantly, only after India’s nuclear tests created an existential challenge and pushed the region toward overt nuclearization. Pakistan’s response, he noted, was guided by legitimate security concerns in the face of an increasingly belligerent and aggressive India. He further observed that the international community now has a better understanding of Pakistan’s security compulsions. Despite repeated attempts by India to test Pakistan’s deterrence, it has continued to hold. He concluded that Youm-e-Takbeer should therefore be commemorated as an important national occasion.
Earlier, Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC, stated that May 28 marks a significant day in Pakistan’s history, when the country conducted its nuclear tests. He highlighted that deterrence today is facing challenges due to the emergence of EDTs and other regional and global conflicts. He emphasized the need to modernize the nuclear posture to ensure that deterrence remains credible, effective, and responsive to emerging security challenges.
Dr. Rizwana highlighted that strategic stability in South Asia is becoming increasingly fragile due to India’s evolving military posture and the introduction of new technologies. She stated that since the Cold Start Doctrine of 2004, India has focused on developing offensive war-fighting capabilities against Pakistan, including the option of limited conflict and so-called surgical strikes. This has been supported by major military modernization efforts, not only to strengthen India’s position against Pakistan but also to expand its role in the wider Asia-Pacific region. She further observed that India’s unilateral actions in Jammu and Kashmir and illegal holding of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance have added to regional instability, while precision weapons, drones, advanced surveillance, AI, and automated decision-making are making the battlefield more complex and increasing the risk of escalation.
While discussing the role of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), Air Commodore (Retd.) Khalid Banuri stated that the character of war is changing rapidly, with serious implications for strategic stability in South Asia. He noted that Artificial Intelligence, hypersonic missiles, and space-based systems are transforming the military domain by reducing decision-making time during crises. Describing the convergence of AI, hypersonic weapons, and space capabilities as a dangerous “triangle of escalation,” he stressed the need to keep humans in the decision-making loop, extend arms control frameworks to emerging domains, and invest in reliable crisis communication networks. Adding to the discussion, Maj. Gen. Ausaf Ali (Retd.) stated that nuclear capability is only one element of national power, and other dimensions of the state’s power must also be strengthened. He explained that escalation today can take multiple forms, including cyber operations, Artificial Intelligence, space-based capabilities, the electromagnetic spectrum, quantum technologies, and hypersonic missiles.
While discussing the role of diplomacy, Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal highlighted that diplomatic engagement remains essential for maintaining strategic stability in South Asia. He noted that Pakistan has played a significant diplomatic role in managing regional crises, including efforts linked to the Iran-U.S. ceasefire, but stressed that sustained dialogue between India and Pakistan is even more important for regional peace. He observed that the deadlock in bilateral engagement has prevented confidence-building measures from maturing and has created a serious gap in arms control and strategic stability. Referring to emerging alignments such as I2U2 and QUAD, he cautioned that these developments cannot be underestimated in Pakistan’s security calculations. He further noted that we are witnessing a transformation in India’s military doctrine, with a growing focus on escalation dominance. Dr. Jaspal emphasized that diplomacy can create space for restraint and crisis management, but in its absence, Pakistan has to rely on a strong security posture due to the adversarial environment.
The discussion was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session and a group photo.
