LAHORE: The Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR) at University of Lahore hosted a high-level webinar on Sunday to mark the first anniversary of the May 2025 conflict, known in Pakistan as Marka-e-Haq, with experts discussing its impact on regional security, deterrence, and diplomacy.
Titled “Deterrence to Diplomacy: Pakistan’s Strategic Repositioning,” the webinar brought together diplomats, security analysts, and military experts to evaluate how the conflict reshaped Pakistan’s strategic posture and regional role in South Asia.
The session was moderated by Dr. Rabia Akhtar, Director of CSSPR, and featured speakers including Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Dr. Adil Sultan, Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Dr. Maria Sultan, Air Commodore (R) Khalid Banuri, Dr. Salma Malik, and Sayed Ali Zia Jaffery.
Panelists discussed the long-term implications of the conflict for military preparedness, deterrence stability, and regional diplomacy. Several speakers described the May 2025 crisis as a significant development in Pakistan’s strategic thinking, particularly in relation to conventional deterrence and evolving warfare technologies.
Focus on emerging warfare and regional stability
Participants highlighted the increasing role of artificial intelligence, drones, cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, and space systems in future regional conflicts.
Speakers also examined the diplomatic dimension of the crisis, noting Pakistan’s continued engagement in regional stability efforts and the importance of countering disinformation during periods of geopolitical tension.
The discussion further emphasized that sustaining strategic gains would require economic resilience, institutional capacity, technological advancement, and investment in human capital.
According to CSSPR, the webinar concluded that the events of May 2025 had influenced strategic perceptions across South Asia and reinforced the importance of long-term preparedness and responsible statecraft in a changing security environment.
