April 13, 2026
Welcome remarks by Mr. Felix Kolbitz, Country Director of FES Pakistan,
Keynote address by Mr. Arno Holger Kirchhof, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Inaugural Address General (Retd.) Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.
Closing Remarks by Air Chief Marshal (Retd.) Sohail Aman, Former Chief of the Pakistan Air Force.
The first roundtable, Pakistan and Global Geopolitics, was chaired by Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani, Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister.
The session included a policy brief from Dr. Aiza Azam, Director of Strategic Affairs for StrafAsia Pakistan; Dr. Amina Khan, Director of the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East and Africa (CAMEA); Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal, Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad; Dr. Nazish Mahmood, Associate Professor at the School of Politics and International Relations, QAU Islamabad; and Mr. Imran Khan, former Country Director of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). The discussion focused on global power shifts, regional conflicts, and Pakistan’s role within an evolving geopolitical environment.
The second roundtable, Pakistan and Geoeconomics, was chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain. The session included a policy brief from Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director at the Centre for Strategic Perspectives, Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and speakers included Ambassador Naghmana Hashmi, Former Ambassador to China along with contributions from ; Engr. Khalid Bashir, Chief Executive Officer of Zirva (Pvt.) Ltd.; and Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, former Inspector General of National Highways and Motorway Police. The discussion emphasized economic connectivity, regional trade, and structural challenges facing Pakistan’s economy.
The third roundtable, Pakistan and Youth Potential, was chaired by Major General (Retd.) Zahid Mahmood, Principal of the NUST Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. The session included a policy brief by Mr. Sardar Yasir Ilyas, CEO Centaurus and Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Tourism and contributions from Ms. Absa Komal, journalist and anchor; Ms. Sabahat Rafiq, President and CEO of Lampro Mellon and founder of Luna Heritage; and Ms. Syeda Amna Batool, politician and youth development advocate. The discussion highlighted the importance of youth engagement, digital transformation, and human capital development in shaping Pakistan’s future.
