REMARKS – Inauguration of ACDC

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Inauguration of ACDC

30 October 2019

Remarks by the Director General

  1. Welcome:
    1. FS. A true example of one possessing qualities of head and heart. A stable and level headed officer, who works with exceptional devotion and commitment to national causes.
    1. Our speakers today.
      1. Kamran Akhtar. Outstanding officer with solid grasp on strategic issues.
      1. Zahir Kazmi. Amazing clarity of thought. Highly efficient and mentally alert and shares real time info on these issues with all those that need to know.
      1. Khalil Hashmi. Cool, logical and clear headed. Glad that he is going to Geneva and would represent us in CD. An excellent negotiator. Saw him work very well in First Committee and NSS process.
    1. A number of special guests. Generals Ausaf and Naseer. Air Commodore Khalid Banuri.  
  • How is ISSI pursuing its goals in 2019 and planning for 2020?

Three streams of work:

  1. Research:
    1. Journal over 900 articles since 1977. Published on time, no backlog.
    1. Issue briefs: over five a month average. Other products like Islamabad papers, books, reports.
    1. Quantity is not the criteria. Its Quality. Research methodology. Brainstorming. Turnitin for plagiarism. Library.
    1. Now linked to leading data bases and indexing agencies to enable our narrative reach out.
    1. Y to X. Peer reviewed.
    1. Expanded the scope from foreign and security policy domain to economy and governance.
  1. Dialogue or events:
    1. 62 in the last ten months. Over six a month.
    1. Again, its not quantity that we aspire. Its Synergy between research and dialogue. and building blocks Energy.
    1. Notable events. Pr of Pk on Ehsas. FM in Africa roundable. President AG, PGA.
  1. Policy input:
    1. ICB. 14 done. Almost one a month.
    1. Tuesday dialogue. Indo Israeli nexus, and yesterday Tensions in the Gulf.
    1. Liaison with MOFA. Monthly meetings. Feedback from other stakeholders re issues of interest to our country.
    1. FM Advisory Council.
  • Why create more centers? What’s the vision?
    • Vision: Produce high quality research work which is relevant to our policy makers and is read internationally so that our narrative reaches out. Hence the focus on quality.
    • Methodology: Re-deploying our human resource to achieve more with less. Create centers of excellence within ISSI for focused research and dialogue. From within existing resources. Models in China. CICIR.  
  • Why ACDC?
    • Importance of nuclear deterrence.
    • Pk is emerging as a responsible n state. Safety, security, export controls, C&C.
    • Pakistan’s image.
    • India’s n bluster.
    • Within existing resources. Malik Qasim is the director. Ghazala is senior researcher on nuclear and related issues. Amina Rafique has excelled in her work on cyber security and emerging technologies. We would welcome researchers or interns from our partner organizations.
    • We would also use int. partners like CACDA for exchange of experts.
  • What’s next?
    • CIS
    • CAS
    • CAMS
    • CES
  • What support do we expect from our patrons and partners?
    • Need your support and and guidance, esp from ACDA and ACDIS.
    • Will create an Advisory Board of practitioners and academics.
    • Our goal: Build a positive narrative about Pakistan, its nuclear capability, and Pakistan’s positive role for strategic stability in South Asia. 

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