Ex- Strategic Plans Division chief says shrinking space for diplomacy raising risks in South Asia

Lt Gen (retd) Mazhar Jamil, former Strategic Plans Division chief and adviser to the National Command Authority, has cautioned that the reduction of traditional arms-control frameworks and the increasing reliance on hard power and emerging technologies are adding to the challenges of strategic stability in South Asia. Speaking at the "Training of the Trainers" workshop on strategic matters in Islamabad, Gen Jamil highlighted that the global and regional strategic environment is becoming more complex.

He noted that persistent threat perceptions, unresolved disputes like the Kashmir issue, and India's military actions have contributed to ongoing security tensions. Gen Jamil stressed that strategic stability is closely linked to political realities and warned that Indian military actions in a nuclear-armed South Asia pose unacceptable risks.

He emphasized Pakistan's nuclear deterrence, conventional capabilities, resilience, and cohesive response framework, including the principle of Quid Pro Quo Plus, to prevent adversaries from achieving their goals through force. Earlier, Maj Gen (retd) Syed Shahab Shahid, former director of Arms Control and Disarmament Affairs at the SPD, called for a balanced approach to arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation that addresses the legitimate security concerns of all states.

He warned that the modernization and diversification of nuclear and strategic capabilities, along with emerging technologies in South Asia, are reshaping the strategic environment and creating new challenges to stability. He stressed the need for a consistent and inclusive approach to enhance strategic stability, reduce risks, and achieve meaningful arms-control and non-proliferation goals.

The workshop, organized by the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS), gathered senior academics, professors, think-tank professionals, foreign policy experts, and diplomats to deepen understanding of contemporary strategic issues and enhance the capacity of academics and trainers to contribute to informed discussions on strategic stability, nuclear deterrence, arms control, and non-proliferation.

CISS Executive Director Amb Ali Sarwar Naqvi highlighted Pakistan's strategic role in the region and its commitment to stability, emphasizing Pakistan's growing strategic weight as a diplomatic actor in an increasingly complex world.