US forces in Afghanistan: withdrawal to throw up new challenges to security: NDU chief

President National Defence University (NDU) Lieutenant General Javed Iqbal warned that the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan will throw up new challenges to regional security which could be overcome through regional as well as national approaches for ensuring stability in the face of emerging developments.
Speaking at a seminar 'South Asia in systemic flux: assessment and scenarios for Regional security order' held here at the NDU under the auspices of its International Relations Department on Thursday, he emphasised the relevance of disparate yet closely linked world orders to the regional security order of South Asia. Prominent scholars, diplomats and experts on international relations presented their views on the emerging security order in South Asia in the wake of recent global and regional developments.
Ambassador Akram Zaki (Retd) said balanced policies of the new Afghan political dispensation and Pakistan decisive military engagement against terrorist outfits should prove to be the cornerstone of emerging prospects for regional stability. However, the ultranationalist government in India was a negative development which would need adoption of prudent approach by Pakistan towards resolution of long-standing bilateral issues. Dr Tahir Amin of Quaid-e-Azam University said there were prospects of convergence of interests between Pakistan and Russia, as the Indic World Order has been steadily drifting away from the Slavic order due to overlapping interests with the Western Liberal Order.
Dr Adil Sultan made a comparative evaluation of emerging strategic doctrines of Pakistan and India and said that external powers would play a crucial role in the future regional security order. Senator Mushahid Hussain indicated that the greater regional inter-connectivity and interaction among regional states meant that the security concerns had also become multi-dimensional.
Dr Sumbal Khan explored the recent developments in Afghanistan and highlighted the shrinking capacity of Afghan government to finance its security apparatus as the major impediment in securing peace in post US Afghanistan. Ambassador Sohail Amin (Retd) said that combating terrorism was the biggest challenge being faced by the governments of South Asian countries.
Dr Muhammad Khan, Head of the Department of International Relations (NDU) concluded that recent developments indicated a divergence rather than convergence of interests among the regional countries and this could prove to be a major caveat in securing regional peace. Ambassador Ayaz Wazir (Retd) advocated an even-handed approach towards militancy and a review of government's long term policy in FATA, in order to avoid the tragic fallout as experienced in Peshawar on December 16, 2014. Dr Pervez Iqbal Cheema, Dean Faculty of Contemporary Studies, NDU stressed the need of good neighbourly relations among South Asian countries based on a paradigm of development.-PR