April 28, 2023: A one-day International Roundtable Conference, “Finding Interfaces and Pathways for Engagement in Afghanistan,” was jointly organized by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies and the Royal Danish Defense College’s Stabilisation Program on April 27, 2023, at Serena, Islamabad.
The conference brought together a diverse panel of experts, including Pakistan’s former Special Envoy for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, Ambassador Ayaz Wazir (retd), Ms. Bette Dam, Ms. Mona Sheikh, Mr. Douglas Tripp Copeland, Mr. Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, former governor of Nangarhar Afghanistan, Mr. Salman Javed, Director General of Pak Afghan Youth Forum, Mr. Hujatullah Mujaddidi,
President of the Independent Journalist Union, Mr. Painda Hikmat Safi (renowned journalist), and Dr. Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Dr. Nazari and Mr. Douglas participated through the Zoom link.
The conference was divided into three sessions, each chaired by distinguished individuals. The first session was chaired by Ambassador Major General Muhammad Saad Khattak (retd), Chairman of PICSS, and included panelists Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, Ziaullah Amerkhel, and Ms. Bette Dam.
The second session was chaired by Mr. Abdullah Khan, Managing Director of PICSS, and included panelists Ambassador Ayaz Wazir, Ms. Mouna Skeikh, Mr. Hujatullah Mujadidi, and Mr. Paida Hikmat Safi.
The third session was chaired by Mr. Jens Vesterlund Mathiesen, Special Consultant at RDDC, and included Mr. Salman Javed, Ms. Amina Khan, Dr. Abdul Latif Nazari, and Mr. Douglas.
The event was moderated by Ms. Reema Shaukat,
while Mr. Gul Dad, Director of Research at PICSS, welcomed the guests and gave a brief overview of PICSS’s research projects and activities.
Mr. Jens also gave an overview of the Stabilization Program of the Royal Danish Defense College.
Overall, the conference served as an important platform for experts and policymakers to discuss potential pathways for engagement in Afghanistan. The conference was a significant platform for experts and policymakers to share their perspectives and ideas about the future of Afghanistan and its impact on the region. The conference concluded with a hope for sustainable peace and development in Afghanistan.
