Ambassador Ali Javed hosted the fifth Civil Societies Dialogue under the Pak-Italy Friendship Forum, focusing on the theme of “Unilateralism vs. Multilateralism; Threat to Legality & Legitimacy of International Rules-Based Order”. The event, which coincided with a visit from a 16-member delegation of the National Defence University Islamabad (NDU) led by Air Commodore Lone, featured prominent speakers and explored the challenges to the international rules-based order.
Former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry delivered the keynote address, tracing the historical development of unilateral and multilateral approaches to international relations and emphasizing the need for effective and transparent multilateral frameworks to ensure global peace.
A panel discussion included Father Robert McCulloch, recipient of Pakistan’s Star of Quaid-e-Azam award, and representatives from the Rome-based Centre for International Studies (CeSI), including Director Marco di Liddo and heads of security and Asia-Pacific divisions, Emmanuele Panero and Tiziano Marino, respectively. Daniele Ferraguti participated as an observer. The discussion, moderated by Third Secretary Shahnawaz Khan, lasted two hours.
Ambassador Javed used the forum to highlight the ongoing conflict between Pakistan and India over Kashmir. He urged the international community to enforce UN Security Council resolutions granting the right to self-determination to the people of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. He warned that failure to address this “longest outstanding agenda item of the UNSC” could escalate into a dangerous conflict between nuclear-armed states with global consequences.
The Pak-Italy Friendship Forum, a platform connecting the Pakistani Embassy with Italian civil society, parliamentarians, media, think tanks, faith-based organizations, and humanitarian groups, aims to address declining confidence in democracies and multilateral frameworks, as well as concerns about selective justice and the lack of enforcement of international legal decisions. The event concluded with a reception featuring Pakistani cuisine, and media coverage was provided by ANSA and other Italian outlets.
