Department of Strategic Studies - NDU Pakistan

The Department of Strategic Studies is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Khurram Shahzad Siddiqui as Head of Department, Faculty of Contemporary Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad.
Dr. Siddiqui holds a PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham, UK, and has served as a Research Associate at Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. He brings a distinguished blend of academic, research, policy, and field experience to the role.
His professional journey spans prestigious international institutions, including the United Nations, the Bank of England, and leading universities across the United Kingdom, Germany, and Pakistan, among them the University of Bedfordshire, UK. This breadth of global exposure uniquely positions him to elevate the Department's academic and research profile.
Dr. Siddiqui is the author of a monograph published by Routledge (2025) and has contributed to leading peer-reviewed journals, including Small Wars & Insurgencies (Taylor & Francis). He also serves on the editorial and review panel of Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group), reflecting his standing in the international academic community.
The Department warmly welcomes Dr. Siddiqui and looks forward to his leadership in advancing academic rigor, research excellence, and intellectual leadership in Strategic Studies.

“Strategic Environment in the Middle East after the Ceasefire and Beyond”

The session brought together distinguished scholars, former ambassadors, and strategic affairs experts to deliberate on regional security, diplomatic realignments, maritime security, and great power competition in the post-ceasefire Middle East.

We extend our sincere gratitude to:

Chair: Prof. Dr. Arshi Saleem Hashmi, Dean, Faculty of Contemporary Studies, NDU

Esteemed Speakers:
• Ambassador Naela Chohan
• Ambassador Masood Khalid (Online)
• Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal (Retd), HI(M)
• Prof. Dr. Shabana Fayyaz
• Dr. Ghulam Mujaddid
• Air Commodore Khalid Banuri (Retd)
• Dr. Tatheer Zahra Sherazi

Grateful to all participants for making this event a resounding success.

The Department of Strategic Studies is organizing a high-level panel discussion titled:

"Strategic Environment in the Middle East After the Ceasefire and Beyond: Analyzing Regional Security, Diplomacy, Strategic Competition & Emerging Geopolitical Dynamics"

Date: 20th May 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Venue: National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad

The event brings together distinguished ambassadors, retired officers, and academic experts to deliberate on key themes including the post-ceasefire regional order, U.S. military engagement, GCC security recalibration, Iran's diplomatic realignment, Pakistan's strategic options, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, and great power competition involving China and Russia.

Chair: Lt Gen Aamer Riaz (Retd), HI(M), Former President, NDU

Speakers:
Ambassador Farukh Amil | Ambassador Naela Chohan | Ambassador Masood Khalid | Rear Admiral (R) Javaid Iqbal, HI(M) | Air Cmdr Khalid Banu

The Department of Strategic Studies, National Defence University (NDU), is pleased to share that Dr. Ghulam Mujaddid participated as a distinguished guest speaker in the inaugural session of the lecture series Pakistan Perspective: State, Society & Strategy, organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences, International Islamic University Islamabad, in collaboration with IPS Islamabad.
Dr. Mujaddid shared his insights alongside eminent scholars and policy experts in an important academic dialogue on Pakistan’s state, society, and strategic future. 🇵🇰

The SS Department extends its warmest felicitations to Mr. Waleed Noor, Ms. Hooria Noor, and Mr. Qazi Nashat Akram, students of the 8th semester, on being invited as adjudicators for the prestigious British Parliamentary Debate Competition at UET Peshawar.

The competition was held on February 15th 2026, under the auspices of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. The tournament featured elite teams from Pakistan's top-tier universities. The expert adjudication and dedication of our students were instrumental in ensuring the seamless ex*****on and high competitive standards of the event.

We take immense pride in their contribution to the national debating circuit.

A huge round of applause for Mr. Ghulam Shabeer Narejo, Scholar of the Department of Strategic Studies, who successfully defended his PhD research during the Public Defense session on 23rd February 2026. Congratulations on this outstanding academic achievement!

🏆 Celebrating Excellence! 🏆

We are immensely proud to announce that the Department of Strategic Studies secured the 2nd Position in the 6th Inter-Departmental Competition of 2023!

This prestigious achievement was made possible under the visionary leadership of our Head of Department, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nasir Mehmood. Congratulations to our dedicated faculty and brilliant students for this remarkable honor! 🎉

The roadmap to the Policy Pitch Competition is here!
From registration to the final pitch, here are the key dates and stages for our upcoming competition. Ready to develop, propose, and present policy solutions that matter?

Key Dates & Stages:

1. Registration & Team Formation (26 Dec) | Find your squad and pick your sub-theme.
2. Concept Note Submission (26 Dec) | Submit your core idea into a one-page outline.
3. Shortlisting Announcement (30 Dec) | Top teams proceed based on clarity and feasibility.
4. Policy Pitch Workshop (01 Jan) | Get expert training on argument-building and delivery.
5. Policy Brief Submission (06 Jan) | Develop your full 2-3 page proposal.
6. Final Event & Pitching (13 Jan) | The grand finale! A 7-minute pitch + 3-minute Q&A.

Mark your calendars and get set to make an im