Prominent scholars have strongly condemned terrorism orchestrated at the state level, describing it as illegal, immoral, inhumane, and highly dangerous for world peace, 24NewsHD TV reported on Wednesday.
They were expressing their views at an academic dialogue titled “International State Terrorism and Global Peace”, held under the auspices of the Russian Centre for Science, Education, and Culture.
The session was chaired by Dr Shahid Hasan, Chairman of the Russian Centre, and featured speakers including Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami, Dr Iftikhar Hussain Bukhari, and Prof Iftikhar Rasool Sheikh, among others.
In his opening remarks, Dr Shahid Hasan asserted that recent incidents of state terrorism “are not accidental,” but part of deliberate, long-standing policies requiring practical responses rather than mere rhetoric.
Dr Hasan cited the forcible abduction of the Venezuelan president and his wife from their home as one of the worst forms of state terrorism, and also referenced an attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that such acts are equally condemnable and risk plunging the world into a deeper crisis if left unchecked.
Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami emphasised that the distinction between national interest and terrorism must be clearly understood, as unchecked pursuit of geopolitical dominance and resource control can harm humanity.
He argued that certain global powers exhibit expansionist tendencies, while asserting that Russia has not historically pursued occupation or domination of other states.
Dr Nizami condemned the idea of abducting an elected leader, urging global condemnation beyond religious or regional divides.
Dr Iftikhar Hussain Bukhari presented a detailed account of state-level terrorist acts worldwide, warning that aggressive policies by powerful states undermine international peace.
Prof Iftikhar Rasool Sheikh also highlighted the role of international financial institutions, suggesting that entities like the IMF and World Bank have at times facilitated expansionist agendas.
The dialogue concluded with a question-and-answer session, during which Dr Shahid Hasan and Dr Ashraf Nizami responded to participants’ queries.
Notable attendees included intellectuals and practitioners such as Shahbaz Anwar Khan, Zafar Malik, Ghaffar Mohiuddin, Ayesha Sardar, Abdul Manan, Kashaf Sarwar, Maqsood Chughtai, Muhammad Maqsood, Mahboob Ali Sarki, Faisal Fabani, and others, reflecting broad academic engagement on a pressing global issue.