ISLAMABAD: The Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Muzaffarabad-based Center for International Strategic Studies Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The event formalizes an institutional partnership aimed at enhancing cooperation in research, policy development, awareness, and advocacy on the Kashmir issue as well as on regional and international strategic issues.
The MoU was signed by Ambassador Sohail Mehmood, Director General, ISSI and Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja, Executive Director, CISS AJK.
On this occasion, Ambassador Sohail Mehmood emphasized the importance of partnership in highlighting issues of national importance and promoting national dialogue on the Kashmir cause and its just solution.
He lauded CISS AJK for its excellence in research and acknowledged its active engagement on key national security topics. While CISS AJK and ISSI are actively engaged, “this MoU marks a new chapter in our cooperation,” said Ambassador Mehmood. He also emphasized the importance of research and scholarly work on India’s behavior, including its internal and external drivers, for increasing public understanding and awareness as well as for informed policy making.
The partnership between the two think tanks envisages pooling resources to present Pakistan’s policies and initiatives in the right context to regional and international audiences. Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja warmly welcomed the prospect of better collaboration with ISSI within the framework of the MoU.
He introduced several CISS AJK publications and emphasized areas of mutual research interest between the two institutions, including emerging technologies and the Jammu and Kashmir conflict.
He emphasized the importance of joint academic research on issues affecting national security. He emphasized that it is appropriate to include local voices of Kashmiris, especially the Kashmiri youth.
In this regard, he opined that collaboration between ISSI and CISS AJK can be effective in reaching out to decision makers and concluded by stressing the importance of united efforts to tackle key challenges. Earlier, Dr Khurram Abbas, Director India Study Center ISSI, briefed the participants about ISSI and its five centres.
Research Officer Tayyaba Khurshid outlined CISS AJK’s mission, outreach, publications, and capacity building efforts. The event concluded with a series of recommendations from both teams and a commitment to pave the way for informed policy-making and increase public engagement and awareness of Kashmiri perspectives on the Kashmir cause.