Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, recently emphasised the urgent need for robust crisis management, diplomacy, and proactive defence strategies to ensure lasting peace and stability in South Asia. His remarks were delivered during the latest edition of the Thought Leaders Forum organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI). The session, attended by diplomats, scholars, policy experts, and security analysts, focused on the strategic landscape in South Asia amid rising regional tensions, unresolved disputes, and shifting geopolitical dynamics.
In his keynote address, General Hayat described South Asia as currently operating below the threshold of genuine stability. Highlighting severe deficiencies, he observed the region is trapped in a security dilemma without functional regional frameworks and effective crisis-management mechanisms. General Hayat stressed that achieving true peace is contingent on establishing justice, building trust, and ensuring sovereign equality among regional states. He specifically warned of the heightened risks posed by India’s evolving strategic posture, ideological shifts under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, significant military build-up, and assertive rhetoric, collectively contributing towards instability and mistrust.
Reflecting on the 2025 crisis triggered by a recent terrorist incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK), General Hayat underlined that India’s unsubstantiated allegations and subsequent military provocations against Pakistan had pushed the region perilously close to full-scale war. He cautioned that historically, Kashmir had already been widely recognised as a nuclear flashpoint; the recent tensions, however, introduced water as another critical dimension in regional conflict scenarios. He explained India’s transition from the “Doval Doctrine” to a “Modi Doctrine”, guided by grand strategic delusions, which inadvertently resulted in “reverse deterrence” by strengthening rather than weakening Pakistan’s defensive resolve.
Ambassador Sohail Mahmood, in his welcome remarks, also provided a strategic assessment of the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape. He noted that intensifying global competition, militarisation, weakening multilateral institutions, and rising non-traditional threats have significantly transformed the global order. Citing the recent friction between India and Pakistan, Ambassador Mahmood praised Pakistan’s controlled, measured, yet firm response to Indian aggression, reinforced by diplomatic composure. Stressing the urgent importance of effective crisis communication, ceasefire consolidation, and dispute resolution mechanisms, Ambassador Mahmood highlighted increasing regional vulnerabilities, the stalled SAARC cooperation process, and growing securitisation. He firmly advocated maintaining Pakistan’s strong defence preparedness alongside active diplomatic engagement.
During the interactive question and answer session following General Hayat’s address, participants engaged deeply with complex strategic scenarios, gaining valuable insights and possible solutions to address ongoing regional security challenges.
In his opening remarks, Director of ISSI, Dr. Talat Shabbir, underlined the strategic importance of advancing regional stability, pointing to the persistent challenge of addressing both traditional and emerging threats within South Asia’s fragile regional security landscape.
Concluding the event, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman of the ISSI Board of Governors, presented a memento to General Zubair Mahmood Hayat in appreciation of his valuable insights. The session, which featured a fruitful exchange of ideas, reinforced ISSI’s commitment to facilitating informed, constructive policy dialogue concerning peacebuilding and strategic stability in South Asia and beyond.
