KARACHI, MAY 12 /DNA/ – Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), in collaboration with the Institute of Business Management (IoBM), hosted the launch of The Third Dimension Policy Prism, authored by Ambassador G. R. Baluch. The panel of discussants included General Khalid Naeem Lodhi, former Defence Secretary of Pakistan; Ambassador Masood Khalid, former diplomat; Dr. Munawar Hussain and Dr. Shazia Khalid Cheema from Quaid-i-Azam University; and columnist and anchor Farukh Pitafi. The event was attended by diplomats, academics, scholars, students, and media representatives.
In her introductory remarks, Dr. Neelum Nigar, Director of the Centre for Strategic Perspectives (CSP) at ISSI, thanked Ambassador Baluch for choosing ISSI as the venue for the launch and appreciated his contribution to strategic and policy discourse.
Delivering the welcome remarks, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood described the book as a timely and important scholarly contribution at a period of major transformation in international politics. He observed that the current global environment is increasingly shaped by geopolitical competition, technological disruption, economic realignments, and evolving security paradigms. He further noted that Ambassador Baluch’s work successfully combines academic reflection with diplomatic insight, presenting foreign policy through political, economic, technological, and social dimensions.
Introducing his book, Ambassador G. R. Baluch remarked that the world is witnessing a “battle of narratives,” where influence is increasingly shaped through ideas and discourse. Describing the book as “more of a conversation than a conventional text,” he said that ideas eventually shape policies and global debates. He also thanked ISSI for encouraging meaningful discussions on foreign policy and international affairs.
The discussants collectively described the book as a timely and multidimensional contribution to contemporary strategic thought. General Khalid Naeem Lodhi highlighted the book’s focus on ethics and humanity alongside national interests in foreign policy. Ambassador Masood Khalid appreciated its analysis of Pakistan’s foreign policy challenges, South Asia, and developments in the Middle East, including Gaza.
Dr. Munawar Hussain noted that the book examines international politics not only through power and economics but also through ethical and value-based dimensions. Dr. Shazia Khalid Cheema observed that the work explores the symbolic, psychological, and cultural dimensions of politics and identity formation. Farukh Pitafi praised the book for combining policy relevance with conceptual depth while engaging both diplomats and academics through its broad thematic coverage and reflective style.
