IPS was represented by its vice chairman Ambassador (r) Syed Abrar Hussain in a webinar titled ‘Afghanistan: Past, Present and Future’, which was organized by Margalla Book Club on September 8, 2021.
The webinar, which was moderated by Ambassador (r) Ghalib Iqbal and attended alongside VC-IPS by Ambassador (r) Asif Durrani and Ihsan Ghani Khan (PSP retired), aimed at discussing the developing scenario in Afghanistan and potential challenges and opportunities lying ahead in the wake of the Taliban’s rise to power.
Speaking over the current and evolving situation in Afghanistan, VC-IPS feared a prolonged civil war and bloodshed in the country in case a negotiated settlement was not reached by all stakeholders.
Commenting on the fallouts of an Afghan civil war on Pakistan, Hussain warned that Pakistan could face a plethora of issues in such situation – including the arrival of more Afghan refugees, an increase in cross-border terrorism and hindrances in implementing regional connectivity projects – urging Pakistan to stay vigilant and plan for these challenges in advance.
