Chief Minister Government of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the unresolved Kashmir issue and the unrelenting brutality of the Indian government against the Kashmiri people is a cause of universal concern. “Their suffering continues unabated and so does their resolve to decide their own future,” said the CM while speaking at the 75th Anniversary Conference on Pakistan and the Changing Global Order organized by the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) at a local hotel here on Wednesday.
“Whatever the issues and approach, I believe that achieving peace is the ultimate goal for all governments. We realize that the world is mired by conflicts and divisions for reasons which are historical and geographical. Hence a concerted approach to all issues and challenges within and outside Pakistan is the need of the hour,” he added.
The CM added that in the recent years they have seen the shift of geopolitical power from the West to the East. “We have witnessed the rise of Asia, especially through ASEAN, a resilient Africa and more importantly, an assertive China with its expanding outreach through its Belt and Road Initiative, and a resurgent Russia,” said Murad.
He hoped that the recommendations emerging from the conference will help in the formulation of policies which can help to resolve contemporary problems.
Chairperson PIIA Dr Masuma Hasan in her welcome speech said that this two-day conference is bringing together diplomats from Pakistan and scholars from Pakistan and many countries – Sri Lanka, Nepal, the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
“Their collective wisdom and expertise will contribute to the understanding of global and regional issues, changes in the global order, shifting perspectives, new horizons, Pakistan’s foreign policy, its economy and connectivity, and the security challenges it faces,” said Dr Masuma.
A keynote address was delivered by Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi in which he pointed out that ‘Climate change has become the overwhelming context for any discussion of national or international affairs’.
He stressed that if capitalism is not radically reformed it will ultimately be suicidal.
The second session of the first day ‘From a Unipolar to a Multipolar World’ was chaired by Ambassador Najmuddin Shaikh, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, while the key speakers of the session were Dr Mabel Lu Miao from China, Dr Kerry Brown from London, and Dr Bakare Najmideen from NUST.
The session three was ‘Issues of International Concern’ and key speakers of the session included former Additional Director General FIA Ammar Jaffri, Dr Rabia Akhtar from the UoL, and Ali Tauqeer Sheikh.
A parallel session on Afghanistan was the highlight of the day which was chaired by Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, Special Representative of the Prime Minister for Afghanistan, Islamabad.
The speakers of this special session were Dr Anatol Lieven from the USA, Zahid Hussain, and Ms Hasina Jalal from Washington DC.
The last session was about Nuclear Panacea in a Global Perspective which was chaired by Lt. Gen. (R) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai, Adviser, National Command Authority, former Director General, Strategic Plans Division, and Islamabad.
Some of the key speakers of the last session were Dr Anita Nilsson from Washington DC, Dr Ansar Pervez, Adviser, National Command Authority on Nuclear Power, and Dr Happymon Jacob from Delhi.