The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad’s Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA) launched its fifth edited volume, Crossroads of Conflict, a multidisciplinary examination of transnational terrorism from Afghanistan to Africa. The volume, edited by Dr Amina Khan, was presented at an event attended by diplomats, academics, policy practitioners and civil society representatives.
Engineer Khurram Dastagir Khan, former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, addressed the gathering and reflected on Pakistan’s long struggle against militancy, citing the APS attack and successive military operations such as Zarb-e-Azb and Raad-ul-Fasaad. He welcomed the book’s international perspective and its coverage of foreign fighters in Syria, and argued that tackling transnational terrorism requires addressing root causes, strengthening regional cooperation, investing in education and countering online propaganda.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, Director General of ISSI, said the publication arrives at a time of turbulent global security and expanding transnational terrorism. He noted the book’s analytical depth on groups including Al Qaeda, ISIS and affiliates, ISKP, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and the TTP, and said the contributors highlight how instability, fragile transitions and socio-economic grievances enable extremist adaptation and cross-border linkages. He urged a coherent policy mix of deterrence, development, diplomacy, law enforcement and community engagement to confront the threat.
Dr Amina Khan, Director CAMEA and editor of the volume, explained that the book compiles evidence-based chapters that map organisational trajectories and the political conditions that sustain resilience among violent extremist groups. She thanked the contributors and discussants for shaping a publication intended to inform context-specific policy thinking on transnational terrorism in the region.
Discussants offered critical perspectives on the book’s findings. Dr Shabana Fayyaz praised its thematic clarity while calling for deeper treatment of gender dynamics and clearer guidance on societal engagement in a digitally polarised environment. Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed described terrorism as a trans-regional ecosystem, warning that porous borders and state fragility allow groups from ISKP to Al Shabaab to adapt, and argued that military measures alone cannot produce durable results without addressing local grievances in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Ambassador Khalid Mahmood emphasised a holistic approach that confronts root causes and state-sponsored violence while distinguishing the legitimate right of self-determination from terrorism. Several contributing authors highlighted chapter-level insights on recruitment, ideology and trans-border networks during the discussion, underscoring the book’s empirical contribution to understanding how violent actors operate across regions.
The event underlined Pakistan’s continued stake in regional security and the importance of intelligence coordination, improved border management and enhanced regional cooperation to counter transnational terrorism. Attendees included foreign diplomats, scholars, media representatives and civil society voices who engaged in a wide-ranging conversation about policy gaps, institutional capacity and the path toward sustainable prevention and deradicalisation efforts.
The volume aims to serve as a practical resource for policymakers and analysts seeking to understand evolving threat dynamics and to design integrated responses that combine security measures with development, governance reforms and community resilience strategies against transnational terrorism.
