Islamabad: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) hosted an in-depth book presentation on 'Pakistan-India Relations: Fractured Past, Uncertain Future' by Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, former Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and former Ambassador to the United States. The event, held at A. R. Kemal Hall and moderated by PIDE Vice Chancellor Dr. Nadeem Javaid, brought together diplomats, academics, students and policy experts.
Introducing Ambassador Chaudhry, Dr. Javaid highlighted his distinguished diplomatic career spanning more than three decades in The Hague, New York, Washington and Islamabad. He noted the author's direct engagement with the Pakistan-India peace process under multiple political eras-from Vajpayee and Musharraf to Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.
Ambassador Chaudhry explained that his book offers a rigorous analytical inquiry into why Pakistan and India remain locked in an adversarial relationship despite seventy-eight years of conflict and sporadic dialogue. Rather than recounting memoir-style diplomacy, the study probes deeper structural dynamics that continue to define South Asia's longest-running rivalry.
Drawing on historical evidence and personal diplomatic experience, he identified four major factors impeding peace: entrenched mistrust rooted in colonial politics; the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute; the political weaponization of terrorism to shape global narratives; and India's persistent quest for regional dominance, reinforced by expansive strategic ambitions and ideological frameworks such as Akhand Bharat.
He observed that wars, military crises, and failed peace efforts-from Lahore and Agra to Mumbai, Pathankot and Pulwama-have hardened rather than softened hostility. Domestic political pressures, conflicting threat perceptions and global strategic shifts have sustained a security-centric dynamic in which even sincere diplomatic efforts struggle to make headway.
Addressing modern debates questioning the rationale of Pakistan's creation, Ambassador Chaudhry cited independent studies documenting the deepening marginalization of Muslims in India. He argued that contemporary developments vindicate many of the historical concerns underpinning the Pakistan movement. While emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong defence and diplomatic capacity, he stressed the need for Pakistan to enhance governance and strengthen its narrative-building capabilities.
The author also outlined pathways for breaking the current deadlock, including reviving sustained dialogue, expanding people-to-people contact, and leveraging geo-economic linkages to reduce hostility. He noted that a substantial framework of agreements and confidence-building measures already exists and could support future progress-should India reassess its approach.
During a lively question-and-answer session, participants raised issues such as the sincerity of both states' desire for peace, the role of global powers in managing South Asian crises, and the politicization of religion. Ambassador Chaudhry acknowledged that religion has been politically instrumentalized on both sides, but warned that current levels of polarization in India are unprecedented. He reiterated that while Pakistan maintains credible deterrence, it must now prioritize internal reform and global narrative clarity.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Nadeem Javaid said the session offered a deeply insightful examination of a critical regional relationship. He thanked Ambassador Chaudhry for sharing not only analytical depth but also the wisdom of decades of diplomatic service.
Dr. Javaid reminded the audience that Pakistan-India relations shape the lives, security, economies and identities of more than 1.5 billion people. Progress in South Asia, he noted, is 'neither inevitable nor impossible,' and requires strategic imagination, courageous leadership and the willingness to challenge entrenched narratives. While discussions alone cannot resolve disputes, he said, they help keep alive the possibility of peace-an invaluable asset in a region long burdened by history.