PRESS RELEASE
ACDC’s 2nd Anniversary Review Meeting”
October 29, 2021
The Arms Control and Disarmament Centre (ACDC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) celebrated “ACDC’s 2nd Anniversary,” on Friday, October 29, 2021. To review the performance of the ACDC an “Annual Review Meeting 2021” was also organised by the Centre. The members of the ACDC Advisory Board attended the meeting and provided overall policy directions.
In his welcome remarks, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Director General ISSI, said that the ACDC is one of the Centres of Excellence at ISSI and today it completes two years. Arms control and disarmament is an issue of immense national importance and we closely coordinate with relevant institutions to achieve national unity of voice on the subject.
While giving the Performance Review of the ACDC, Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC, apprised about the vision and functions of the Centre. The ACDC was established on October 30, 2019, as a part of the ISSI. The vision of ACDC is to contribute focused research and quality policy input through in-depth analysis and dialogue on issues of arms control, disarmament, nuclear safety and security, nuclear deterrence, emerging technologies and challenges to peace and strategic stability. He apprised the advisory board that the Centre organised more than 20 major events including seminars, roundtables and Tuesday Dialogues. He also talked about the ACDC vision 2020-2023 with a theme of “Strategic Stability in South Asia.” He gave an overview of 2021 activities. The events organised so far ranged on issues from the US nuclear policy under Biden, effects of emerging technologies, cyber security, the myth of India’s impeccable non-proliferation record, issues and debates at Conference on Disarmament and the Indian naval modernisation and its impact on South Asia.
The ACDC research activities included issues briefs, confidential briefs and research articles. He also highlighted the book that ACDC is about to launch titled “Shifting Doctrines and Emerging Threats: Challenges to Strategic Stability in South Asia.”
This was followed by an interactive discussion in which the ACDC Advisory Board member appreciated the work of the ACDC and gave suggestions to improve the Centre’s research, activities and outreach.
This was followed by cake cutting ceremony by Ambassador Khalid Mahmood, Chairman BOG ISSI, members of the ACDC and the advisory board.
