Webinar on “Pahalgam Incident: History, Motives, & Consequences” Successfully Held at the IUB

Press Release: Webinar on “Pahalgam Incident: History, Motives, & Consequences” Successfully Held at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

Bahawalpur, 29 April 2025 – The Islamia University of Bahawalpur hosted an insightful webinar on the topic “Pahalgam Incident: History, Motives, & Consequences” today at the VC Secretariat, Baghdad ul Jadeed Campus. The session, which ran from 12:00 pm to 01:30 pm, was a joint effort by the Department of Political Science and Department of Economics.

Moderated by Dr. Shakil Akhtar, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, the webinar brought together distinguished experts to analyze the recent tragic incident in Pahalgam, Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and its implications for the region's stability, diplomacy, and economy.

The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Rubina Bhatti, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and honored by the presence of Prof. Dr. Mussawar Hussain Bukhari (Chairman, Department of Political Science) and Dr. Abid Rasheed Gill (Chairman, Department of Economics). 

The discussion revolved around the key aspects of the incident, including the attack on April 22, 2025, which resulted in 26 deaths and numerous injuries. Experts delved into the historical context, the incident's socio-political impact, economic repercussions on trade and tourism, and its influence on Indo-Pakistan relations, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Esteemed speakers included:

1. Syeda Tahreem Bukhari – Associate Director at CISS-AJK, discussing the history of such incidents and India's response.
2. Mr. Ahsan Nawaz – UNDP Consultant, covering economic repercussions on regional trade and tourism.
3. Ms. Farzana Yaqub – Former AJK Minister, exploring the socio-political fallout on Kashmiri civil society.
4. Dr. Asma Shakir Khawaja – Executive Director of CISS-AJK, addressing the impact of the Indus Waters Treaty suspension on confidence-building measures between Pakistan and India.

After a brief Q&A session, the event was concluded with her remarks by Prof. Dr. Rubina Bhatti, followed by a vote of thanks from Dr. Abid Rasheed Gill. Guests of honor included Prof. Dr. Yasmin Roofi, Director of the Usman Buzdar School of State Sciences, and Dr. Sarfraz Batool, Director of the Women Development Centre.

Special acknowledgment was given to Mr. Sohail Kamran (MPhil Economics Scholar), Ms. Hira Riaz (Lecturer Department of Political Science), Rao Waleed Farooq (Lecturer, Department of Political Science), and the dedicated Political Science Club Students for organizing this remarkable session.