City Desk
Islamabad: The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) hosted an international seminar, “Reimagining Regionalism in South Asia,” on 15 October, concluding that the region cannot stay fragmented in the face of traditional and non-traditional challenges. Speakers said countries must adapt existing institutional mechanisms to present-day realities.
Despite its limitations, SAARC, dormant for over a decade, remains the most viable forum, they said, provided all members are treated as sovereign equals. They advised separating political contestation from practical issues and adopting a people-centric approach focused on poverty, climate change, water scarcity, disruptive technologies, migration, trade facilitation, maritime cooperation and public health. Minilateral arrangements, possibly including China, were also suggested.
Organised by ISSI’s India Study Centre, the event featured former Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani as Chief Guest, who called for political commitment, mutual confidence and statesmanship from regional leaders in the interest of over two billion people. Other speakers included Ambassador Masood Khalid, Bangladesh’s Deputy High Commissioner Fazle Lohani Babu, and Professor Maneesha Wanasinghe-Pasqual of SASSRI Sri Lanka.
