Activity: Lecture
Speakers: Professor Khurshid Ahmad, Chairman IPS
The students of Defence and Strategic Studies (DSS) department of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) were especially invited to this lecture. Ms. Shabbana Fayyaz, Asst. Professor in DSS department, coordinated the program from the university.
Giving the historical details of the acts of terrorism and the response towards it, Prof. Khurshid Ahmad iterated that terrorism was not a new phenomenon and it was condemnable in every form and manifestation.
Prof. Ahmed also discussed the contemporary terrorism in the backdrop of globalization, its dimension after the revolution in information technology, and root causes of terrorism. Analysing the alternative policy options, Prof. Khurshid Ahmed discussed in detail the choices that Pakistan could have made after 9/11 and could make in the changing national and international scenario.
Conferring about the current tide of terrorism, he concluded his talk saying, “We have to find a way; first phase is carving out some space by negotiating, then move gradually to a lasting peace but for that we need clarity of vision, political will, an action plan, modalities, phases and diplomacy.”
At the end, Ms. Shabbana Fayyaz thanked IPS and Prof. Khurshid Ahmed for enlightening the students on the topic and expressed that think tanks had a vital role to play in analysing such issues.
It was also announced that a research article by Prof. Khurshid Ahmad on this theme would be published in the coming issue of ‘Policy Perspectives’.
