Pakistan-India Conflict 2025: Speakers at seminar stress unity, strategy after triumph

PESHAWAR: As the dust settles after the recent military conflict between Pakistan and India, speakers at a one-day seminar held here on Tuesday called for national unity, strategic foresight, and coherent policy responses to strengthen the country both internally and externally, following the successful retaliation against India on May 10.

The seminar, titled “Pakistan-India Conflict 2025: Lessons Learnt,” was organized by the National University of Modern Languages (NUML), where academics, defense analysts, and media professionals shared their insights. The faculty members and students of the university attended the event.

Speakers highlighted Pakistan’s emergence as a resilient and dignified regional power after its remarkable victory against blatant Indian aggression.They emphasized the need to translate military achievements into lasting national strength through socio-political stability, economic resilience, and strategic vision.

Prof Dr Qibla Ayaz, former head of the Council of Islamic Ideology, was the chief guest and delivered the keynote address.Brig (R) Dr Saifur Rahman Malik, Regional Director of NUML, was the guest of honour, while Kinza Saher, lecturer at NUML, moderated the event.

Dr Abdul Rehman described the conflict as a turning point that stimulated unprecedented national cohesion.“Moments of crisis, when handled with wisdom, become the building blocks of national integration,” he noted, urging policymakers to capitalize on this momentum to foster unity.

Dr Qadir Baloch spoke about Pakistan’s operational strategy and lauded the armed forces for their disciplined and calculated response.The seminar also explored the information front of the conflict, where speakers argued that the battle for narrative supremacy was as crucial as physical engagement.Zahir Shah Shirazi criticized the Indian media’s war hysteria and disinformation tactics, describing it as “a cynical attempt to distort facts and promote hatred among their people.”

Lehaz Ali and Shams Mohmand lauded Pakistani media for playing a mature role during the conflict, helping to maintain global credibility and build domestic support.Dr Yousaf Ali addressed the myth of Pakistan’s fragility, asserting that it was dismantled by the successful retaliation against Indian aggression.

He said that India had made every effort to isolate Pakistan on the global stage and label it as a fragile state. However, the success Pakistan achieved this month in response to Indian aggression shattered all such efforts.

“The conflict exposed the flaws in international misperceptions about Pakistan, which emerged as a responsible and stronger regional power,” he said. “Pakistan has shown it can stand firm under pressure, both militarily and diplomatically,” he added.

Dr Raza Rehman Qazi outlined strategic lessons from the conflict, underlining the importance of maintaining robust alliances, particularly with China.“Enhanced military linkages with China played a vital counterbalancing role in the recent showdown,” he said.

Dr Zilakat Khan Malik assessed the economic costs of the conflict. “Victory comes at a price. The challenge now is to stabilize our economy, reform defense spending, and ensure sustainable growth,” he stressed.Dr. Hussain Shaheed Soherwordy spoke about the post-conflict challenges and the way forward, offering several suggestions for a brighter future.

In his keynote address, Dr Qibla Ayaz said that Pakistan’s path forward lay in transforming the recent success into a foundation for constructive nation-building.He recalled bitter memories of the 1971 war, when he was a 17-year-old boy. He noted that the recent triumph had instilled a sense of confidence and hope in every Pakistani.

Dr. Qibla Ayaz also lauded the management of NUML for taking the initiative to arrange the seminar on such a crucial topic.He expressed optimism that other universities in the province would follow suit, provided their financial difficulties were resolved in a timely and efficient manner.