LAHORE:The Government College University (GCU) here on Thursday hosted a panel discussion on the prevailing geopolitical situation in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, bringing together journalists and strategic affairs experts to examine how ongoing regional tensions including strikes on Iran and its response could shape politics, security and the economy in the wider region.
The panel featured Brig (r) Syed Ghazanfar Ali, a defence and strategic affairs analyst; Salman Ghani, a senior journalist and analyst, and Prof Dr Muqarrab Akbar, Director of the Peace and Counter-Extremism Research Centre at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan. GCU Registrar Dr Shaukat Ali, Department Chairperson Dr Fouzia Ghani and Adviser Students’ Affairs Siddique Awan were also present.
The discussion focused on the Iran–Israel escalation and its possible long-term consequences, including the economic and humanitarian fallout for states caught in overlapping regional crises. During the discussion, Prof Akbar said that, in the prevailing global environment, wise use of energy resources was essential. He urged minimising petrol consumption and said states aspiring to become global powers would need to reassess certain decisions. He also said Pakistan had the potential to emerge as a major regional power over time.
Brig (r) Ghazanfar Ali described the Middle East as increasingly complex, saying multiple actors were aligning to secure strategic interests. He said Israel’s policies had contributed to heightened tensions and, in his view, had drawn several countries into mutual disagreements. He urged the Muslim world to respond with unity and foresight.
Speakers also discussed the growing Iran–Israel tensions, Pakistan–Afghanistan relations, border disputes, and the economic and humanitarian dimensions of conflict. They maintained that present-day crises were not sudden developments but reflected decades of political differences, border-related issues and persistent security concerns.
