Strategic Studies Institute Islamabad (SSII) hosted the second day of a workshop for the Women Wing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) titled “Pakistan’s Foreign and Security Policy.”
In the opening session, Oves Anwar, Senior Associate at the Research Society of International Law gave a presentation on “An Introduction to International Law”. He discussed the evolution of international law and the sources it is derived from. He further explained how states and individuals become objects of the international law by illustrating examples from different cases. The participants were engaged in a debate over the existence and effectiveness of international law in the real world.
In the second session titled: “Global Economic Environment & Pakistan’s Economy”, Asad Umer (MNA PTI) explained the global economic environment in the post WW2 era. While mentioning the factors shaping the contemporary competitive global economic order, he explained the evolution and role of international economic and trade regimes and the technological advancement which improved the physical transportation of goods.
He further stated that what Pakistan lacks today is the educated and skilled labor force which is essential for a state in order to compete and survive in this globalized world. Pakistan has fertile lands and abundant untapped natural resources which, if exploited skilfully, could bring a permanent end to Pakistan’s energy problems. Education is the key to success and development for every nation.
In the final session titled: “Pakistan’s Nuclear policy”, ACDA Strategic Plans Division DG Khalid Banuri presented the contours of nuclear politics in South Asia and gave an analysis of the uses of nuclear technology both for weapons and peaceful uses. He explained the importance and purpose of the nuclear weapons in the contemporary international strategic environment. He further elaborated the Non- Proliferation efforts by international non-proliferation and disarmament regime.
Talking about the geo-strategic landscape of South Asia, Khalid Banuri said having three nuclear powers in close proximity, India, Pakistan, China, makes the geo-strategic landscape much more complex and prone to conflicts, competition and also cooperation. The geo-strategic interests of Pakistan are to maximize potential to benefit from available resources and to safeguard territorial integrity and sovereignty by increasing national power. At the end Khalid Banuri elaborated the peaceful uses of nuclear technology and emphasized its benefits in agriculture and biotechnology. He said that Pakistani nuclear facilities are well protected in terms of their safety and security.
