General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan, issued a warning against India’s pursuit of regional hegemony, asserting that it undermines efforts to resolve conflicts in South Asia and poses a threat to peace in the region.
Addressing the esteemed Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security summit held in Singapore, General Mirza emphasized that effective security arrangements necessitate mutual trust and inclusive participation.
He underscored the critical need for a comprehensive and institutionalized crisis management framework within South Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.
“Regional stability should not rest solely on military strength but on principles of trust, patience, and mutual respect,” he stated, identifying the enduring Kashmir dispute, escalating India-Pakistan-China tensions, and the persistent instability in Afghanistan as key challenges.
General Mirza cautioned that the presence of nuclear weapons in the region significantly amplifies the risk of miscalculation. “In such a scenario, effective communication channels are indispensable to avoid unintended escalation,” he added.
Critiquing India’s expanding military preparations and its backing from Western powers, General Mirza accused New Delhi of prioritizing dominance over peaceful conflict resolution. “India’s ambition to establish hegemony has reached a point where it evades meaningful conflict resolution,” he observed.
He drew attention to recent escalations between Pakistan and India, characterizing the lowered threshold for war as a grave threat to the region’s one and a half billion people.
The General condemned India’s threats to target civilian areas and attempts to unilaterally abrogate the Indus Waters Treaty, labeling them as “existential threats” and “potential declarations of war” against Pakistan.
Despite these tensions, General Mirza reiterated Pakistan’s preference for dialogue and diplomacy. “Peace is achievable only through talks based on mutual respect, equal sovereignty, and dignity,” he stressed.
Shifting to the wider Asia-Pacific, the General expressed concern over intensifying military competition among major powers and warned that security architectures imposed without the involvement of regional countries will lack legitimacy and effectiveness. He urged the activation of existing bilateral, regional, and global mechanisms rather than repeatedly creating new frameworks.
On the global stage, General Mirza lamented the erosion of principles and ethics in international affairs, noting that “state sovereignty and international law are being trampled upon” and multilateral cooperation has been superseded by narrow alliances driven by power and interests.
He emphasized the importance of establishing regular procedures, pre-agreed rules of engagement, and joint military exercises to mitigate crises. Additionally, he identified emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber warfare as complicating factors that reduce decision-making time and challenge traditional deterrence.
Highlighting the role of strategic communication, General Mirza warned that misinformation, narrative warfare, and the distortion of facts further fuel tensions in the region.
Concluding his address, General Mirza reaffirmed Pakistan’s long-standing position on Kashmir, advocating for a resolution in line with United Nations resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people as essential for lasting peace in South Asia.
