Experts highlight Pakistan’s strategic response during Marka-e-Haq at ISSI seminar

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th May, 2026) Speakers at a seminar organized by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and Digital Debate on Wednesday highlighted Pakistan’s strategic resilience, diplomatic outreach and evolving information warfare dynamics in the context of Marka-e-Haq.

The seminar titled “Marka-e-Haq: Victory in the Battlefield and Beyond” was jointly hosted by the India Study Centre at ISSI and Digital Debate to commemorate one year of Marka-e-Haq.

Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar graced the occasion as Chief Guest while the former Foreign Minister Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani was the Guest of Honour.

The speakers included Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman ISSI; Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi, Foreign Office Spokesperson, Air Marshal (Retd) Farooq Habib, former Vice Chief of Pakistan Air Force; Ms Nasim Zehra, renowned author and anchorperson; Dr Khurram Abbas, Director ISC at ISSI; and Mr Ahmad Hassan Al-Arbi, Defense Analyst.

In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood observed that the month of May has repeatedly emerged as a defining month in Pakistan’s strategic history.

He noted that Pakistan’s response in May conflict combined battlefield success with diplomatic outreach, information management, and political coherence, projecting the country as a confident, responsible, and resilient state committed to regional peace while firmly safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests.

Highlighting the role of the armed forces, diplomats, media, and strategic experts in countering disinformation and shaping international discourse, Chairman ISSI stressed the need to transform these strategic gains into long-term institutional, economic, diplomatic, and intellectual strength through continued national unity and strategic foresight.

Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani observed that India’s aggressive posture toward Pakistan has intensified since 2014 under the leadership of Narendra Modi, with anti-Pakistan rhetoric and allegations repeatedly being used for domestic political purposes.

Referring to the events of May 2025, he argued that the crisis followed a familiar pattern of false flag operations and attempts to blame Pakistan, citing past incidents such as Pulwama and Chattisinghpura.

He noted, however, that India’s narrative failed to gain international acceptance due to growing global concerns over India’s transnational assassination campaigns, the rise of Hindutva-driven extremism targeting minorities, and its increasingly strained relations with neighbouring South Asian states. Ambassador Jilani further remarked that India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty generated serious international concern, with experts viewing the weaponization of water as irresponsible and destabilizing.

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Dr Khurram Abbas, Director India Study Centre, emphasized that the conflict last May was imposed upon Pakistan despite its efforts to avoid armed confrontation, yet the country’s response conveyed a clear strategic message that coercion and intimidation as instruments of foreign policy would neither be accepted nor succeed in the region.

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Highlighting the centrality of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, he noted that continued uncertainty and the absence of a just resolution remain a persistent source of instability in South Asia.

Ambassador Tahir Hussain Andrabi presented a comprehensive overview of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to counter India’s maligning campaign targeted at Pakistan. He stated that the Prime Minister’s offer for joint investigation played pivotal part in favoring Pakistan’s narrative international recognition.

In the course of two weeks, the Foreign Minister dialed up with 60 capitals across the globe. He concluded that while India continued to propagate misleading narratives, global attention increasingly shifted toward Pakistan’s perspective, with its enhanced credibility translating military success into meaningful diplomatic capital.

While discussing the kinetic aspects of the May 2025 conflict, Air Marshal Farooq Habib highlighted the preparations made by Pakistan Air Force, in coordination with Army and the Navy, in order to convert the tactical achievements into strategic gains. He called for vigilance and proactive approach, while underscoring the changing character of war, driven by advanced technologies, unmanned air vehicles, and a less likelihood of direct physical contact.

In her remarks, Ms. Nasim Zehra noted that Pakistan continues to resist India’s hegemonic tendencies in South Asia while adapting to evolving security dynamics, including developments in IIOJK. She further highlighted Pakistan’s strengthening strategic partnerships, particularly with China and expanding engagement in West Asia, and its growing role as a responsible diplomatic actor contributing to regional dialogue and stability.

Ahmad Hassan Al-Arabi emphasized that strategic narrative formation has become a core pillar of modern power, where mobile platforms, AI, OSINT, and citizen journalism now define the information battlefield. He noted that contemporary disinformation ecosystems by India operate through large-scale propaganda and saturation of the information space, often blending fact and fiction to distort narratives and shift adversaries into a reactive position.

He stated that Pakistan’s approach during the May 2025 events marked a shift by prioritizing truth, transparency, and real-time communication, effectively countering a highly resourced disinformation apparatus. He further highlighted the role of digital media practitioners and youth-led “digital warriors” in shaping the narrative space through innovative tools such as memes and humor, underscoring that perception itself has become a decisive force multiplier in modern conflicts.

The event concluded with a group photo.