ISLAMABAD, February 28: The India Study Centre (ISC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) organised an event on the eve of 3rd anniversary of the Balakot Crisis entitled “Balakot Strike and its Impact on Destabilizing South Asia” on February 28, 2022.
While welcoming the guests, the Director India Study Centre Dr. Saif Malik said that three years ago on February 27, 2019, Pakistan busted the myth of Indian invincibility, and this day should be celebrated as a day of national pride.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director General ISSI Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry congratulated ISC for holding the event. He said that India wanted to replicate American tactics of conducting airstrikes and to set a new norm of engaging Pakistan at the conventional level. Unfortunately, the international community did not condemn Indian actions of violating the international law.
Air Marshal FarhatHussain Khan, HI (M), (Retd), President, Centre for Aerospace & Security Studies (CASS), highlighted the topic “Operation Swift Retort and Future Challenges for PAF.” He said that in aftermath of the Indian airstrike, the stability in the region almost dropped to zero. This was an act of war under any definition of national security. He said that the Indian Air Force failed to engage any valuable target due to flawed planning and information. He emphasised that Pakistan should focus on the indigenization of non-kinetic means of warfare to frustrate any aggression.
Dr. RizwanaAbbasi, Associate Professor (IR), National University of Modern Languages (NUML), talked on the topic “Balakot Crisis and Strategic Stability in South Asia.” She said that Balakot incident was an example of Stability-Instability Paradox. India miscalculated that it could defy the deterrence of Pakistan; however, breaches do occur, but deterrence holds.
Lt. Gen. Asif Yasin Malik, HI (M), (Retd), talked on the topic “False Flag Operations – A Threat to Peace in South Asia.” He lauded the Pakistan Air Force for giving a tactical and strategic message to region and the whole world. He said that ideological borders are more important to defend than territorial borders. He highlighted the concept and history of false flag operations and its repeated use by India. – PR