Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad

22/09/2026

A high-level delegation from the Nigerian National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) visited the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).

19/09/2026

The roundtable with Dr. Daniel Markey, scheduled to be held at the Institute of Regional Studies on 24 September 2026, has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances affecting the guest speaker’s visit to Pakistan.

The IRS hopes to host the discussion at a later date. Further information will be shared once a new date is confirmed.

We regret any inconvenience caused and thank our participants for their interest in the event.

18/09/2026

Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) Islamabad is organizing a roundtable discussion with Dr. Daniel Markey, Senior Fellow, Stimson Center on:
Trajectory of US-Pakistan Relations Amid Intensifying Regional Security and Trade Dynamics.
Date and time: September 24, 2026, at 11.30 A.M. (PKT).
Venue: IRS Islamabad.

Note: Participation is by invitation only.

14/09/2026

IRS research officer Riaz Khokhar writes for Al Jazeera:

"The new security architecture that Mecca Pact is setting up will take years to mature. Until rules of collective response develop, Pakistan will continue to support Saudi Arabia's defense but direct intervention in Yemen is unlikely."

If there is a Saudi request, Pakistan and Turkiye will intervene, but direct involvement in the Yemen war is unlikely.

02/09/2026

IRS and Khair Publications Hold Seminar on the Ideology of Pakistan and the Role of Islamic Scholars

The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad, in collaboration with Khair Publications, held a seminar titled “Ideology of Pakistan and the Role of Islamic Scholars.” The seminar examined the contributions of the Ulema and Sufis of the subcontinent and their continuing relevance to Pakistan’s founding ideology and efforts to counter religious extremism.

In his welcome remarks, Dr. Rizwan Naseer, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Centre for Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism Studies (CCTVES) at IRS, highlighted the role of Islamic scholars in developing a shared Muslim identity through education, sermons, and writings. He described the Lahore Resolution of March 23, 1940, as the founding charter of the Pakistan Movement and noted the contributions of religious scholars and grassroots organizations alongside the Muslim League’s political leadership. He also traced this legacy through the Objectives Resolution of 1949, Article 2A of the Constitution, and the declaration of Islam as the state religion under the 1973 Constitution.

Sahibzada Muhammad Saeed, International Relations Analyst, discussed the historical contributions of the Ulema and Sufis to Pakistan’s ideological development. He linked the Two-Nation Theory to the intellectual legacy associated with Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani, also recognized by Allama Iqbal, and stressed that regional identities should complement rather than undermine a shared national purpose.

Mr. Sultan Nasir, scholar, poet, author, and civil servant, highlighted the contribution of Sufis to Pakistan’s ideological development and the Two-Nation Theory. He discussed the relationship between Sufi traditions, pluralism, and adherence to Shariah, while emphasizing contributions to poetry, music, and calligraphy alongside the preservation of Islamic fundamentals.

Dr. Syed Muhammad Abdul Rehman Shah, Islamic scholar and Certified SECP Islamic Finance Sharia Advisor, referenced Allama Iqbal’s Allahabad Address and emphasized the importance of a clear conceptual and constitutional framework for state survival. He urged younger generations to study the Maktubat of Mujaddid Alf-i-Sani and discussed Sirhindi’s opposition to Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi and religious syncretism, as well as the transition from Wahdat-ul-Wujud to Wahdat-ush-Shuhud.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Usman W. Chohan, Research Fellow at IRS, emphasized the importance of critically engaging with Pakistan’s intellectual and ideological heritage and connecting historical scholarship with contemporary national challenges.

Sahibzada Pir M. Masoom Bhorvi delivered the vote of thanks. The seminar concluded with a Q&A session attended by scholars, researchers, media personnel, and students.

02/09/2026

The China Program at the Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad, in collaboration with the China Media Group, hosted a seminar on "SCO at 25: The Shanghai Spirit and a New Journey with Islamabad" on 1 September 2026, the day Pakistan assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation at the Bishkek Summit.

Mr. Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister and Chairman, Board of Investment, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Pakistan-China Institute, delivered the keynote address, and Ms. Zhuang Xinyan, Counselor, Embassy of the People's Republic of China, delivered special remarks.

Opening the seminar, Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President IRS, said he had spent his working life in rooms where such formulations are drafted, and that most did not survive. "But this one has, and not only has it survived, it has prospered," he said, because the Shanghai Spirit does not ask member states to resemble one another.

The panel featured Ambassador Naela Chohan, Dr. Muhammad Khan, Dr. Shafqat Munir Ahmad (SDPI) and Mr. Muhammad Ramzan Ali (PTV). Dr. Usman Chohan from IRS shared concluding remarks followed by a vote of thanks by Mr. Tasawar Zaman Babar, Director Program and PR, CGTN Urdu, China Media Group (coorganizer of the event)

Ms. Nabila Jaffer, Head of the China Program, IRS coorganized the seminar and also moderated the proceedings.

01/09/2026

Five Years of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan: Trajectory, Challenges & the Road Ahead

An insightful roundtable discussion organized by the Institute of Regional Studies Islamabad, in collaboration with South Asia Times, exploring Afghanistan’s evolving political, security and economic landscape.

Key discussions focused on Pakistan–Afghanistan relations, terrorism and TTP, Taliban governance, regional security, economic challenges, women’s education, and the need for strategic diplomatic engagement.

31/08/2026

The Institute of Regional Studies hosted an interactive session on August 31 with a visiting delegation from Lanzhou University, China led by Dr. Duan Bin, Associate Professor at the Data Intelligence Laboratory of Qingzang Plateau Humanistic Environment. The visit was facilitated by Dr. Fazlur Rehman, Executive Director of the Pakistan Council on China.

Welcoming the delegation, President IRS Ambassador Jauhar Saleem spoke of the striking rise of Chinese universities and its leading role in the advancement in science and technology, and of the potential this holds for Pakistan-China collaboration in research and development, particularly between universities and think tanks on both sides.

The visiting scholars expressed their thoughts about regional studies, an area of particular focus at Lanzhou University, and about the value of working with Pakistani institutions that share the same orientation.

The discussion covered avenues for joint academic work, developments across the region, and the trajectory of Pakistan-China relations and prospects of economic development of Pakistan.

31/08/2026

Institute of Regional Studies and Khair Publications cordially invite you to a Seminar:

📝 Ideology of Pakistan and Role of Islamic Scholars
📆 Wednesday, September 2, 2026
⏰️ 1130 AM PKT

📌 IRS, Ataturk Avenue, F-5/2, Islamabad

More details ⬇️

31/08/2026

China Program at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and China Media Group (CMG) are jointly hosting a Seminar titled "SCO at 25: The Shanghai Spirit and A New Journey with Islamabad" on Tuesday, September 1, at 1100 hrs.

The seminar marks the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and Pakistan's upcoming assumption of the SCO Chairmanship ahead of the 2027 Summit (during the Summit taking place in Bishkek Augt. 31-Sept-1). Discussions will cover the organization’s achievements over the past 25 years, the priorities shaping its next phase, and Pakistan's expanding role within it, spanning themes such as regional security, connectivity, banking and trade, digital cooperation, and people-to-people exchange, and China’s contributions to the organization and prospects for deeper Pakistan-China cooperation.
The seminar will feature Pakistani policy makers, Chinese diplomats, scholars, academics, and media representatives.

Your participation in this event will be highly valued.

Nabila Jaffer
Senior Research Analyst
Head of China Program
Institute of Regional Studies,
Islamabad