NUST institute of policy studies arranges webinar on China India standoff implications for the region and Pakistan - Press Release issued by National University of Sciences and Technology.

Islamabad -- June 19, 2020 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST)

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The NUST Institute of Policy Studies (NIPS), Pakistan's leading university-based think tank, organised a high-powered webinar to examine the implications of ongoing China-India standoff on the security of the region and Pakistan here on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. The virtual event was attended by former veteran diplomats, former senior military officials, academics, policy experts and eminent members of the think tank community.

The webinar was chaired by Lt Gen Naweed Zaman, HI (M), (Retd), Rector NUST and Patron NIPS; and moderated by Dr Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Director General NIPS and Principal NUST School of Social Sciences and Humanities. The participants unanimously opined that the current state of relations amongst major powers had turned the region into a critical zone for global peace and stability.

Initiating the discussion, Ambassador Riaz Khokhar, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, underpinned the imperative of peaceful and negotiated resolution of the dispute between the two nuclear-armed States over Ladakh. He highlighted that although both sides had declared peace, the standoff had worsened due to casualties reported on Monday in Galwan Valley. He said that India needs to act maturely and shun the dangerous tendency on its part to misread Chinese restraint as a weakness.

Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Kaleem Saadat, former Chief of Air Staff and President Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), said that China was cognisant of Indian intentions, especially its hostile intent towards CPEC and Belt and Road Initiative, and that China was fully resolved to checkmate any hostile move by India. He advised that there was a need for overall preparedness to meet any adverse contingency in the region.

Ambassador Abdul Basit, former High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, stressed that the ongoing India-China standoff indicated that the resolution of Kashmir dispute required the involvement of a responsible major power like China.

Lt Gen (Retd) Tariq Waseem Ghazi, former Defence Secretary of Pakistan and former President National Defence University (NDU), stated that Pakistan should seek a broad understanding with China in...