A valuable session today on the future of universities in the age of AI, conceived and hosted by Mr. Awais Raoof, Chairman BoG, The University of Lahore. It was heartening to see the leadership of the University take the lead with vision and passion. Our discussion raised a question every university must face: As AI takes over the work by which universities have long defined themselves, what will make a university worth belonging to? I invite my fellow deans of social sciences at universities in Pakistan and around the world to start a global conversation. Let us discuss our contribution and presence on campus, and the role our disciplines must play in shaping the student of the future: someone who can use AI without surrendering independent thought, understand its effects on society, and question decisions made in its name. Drop me a line. Talk to me: [email protected]

What good is keeping a human in the loop if that human cannot interrupt the loop? In my latest Mind Over Mic episode, I discuss the growing challenge of regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), drawing on a compelling article by @hushamahmed. AI Weapons: Is Human Control an Illusion? l Prof.Dr.Rabia Akhtar youtu.be/gIkoCO_Ngb0?si=olov…

When machines acquire the capacity to decide who lives and who dies, the question is no longer just technological superiority. It is who retains the authority to use force, and who bears responsibility when that authority is surrendered to an algorithm. I appreciate @hushamahmed's thoughtful and candid piece on regulating Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). It is refreshing to see a Pakistani diplomat articulate a position that is both principled and firmly grounded in strategic realities. I have long believed that technological advances in warfare cannot be separated from their implications for human judgment, accountability, and strategic stability. Pakistan's early leadership on LAWS, dating back to 2013, deserves far greater recognition. What began as a position advocated by a handful of states has now gained the support of more than 100. What I appreciate most about Husham's argument is its refusal to confuse the pursuit of international norms with the assumption that adversaries will abide by them. Pakistan can advocate meaningful restraints without compromising its own security imperatives. There is intellectual clarity in this position, and diplomatic consistency worth acknowledging. An important contribution to a debate that will increasingly shape the future of warfare.

Drawing on my new @BASIC_int article, “Rethinking Escalation in South Asia,” I examine how defensive intentions can become threatening signals, why frequent hotline contact may fail to produce understanding, and how today’s victory narratives can shape tomorrow’s escalation. You can read the article here: basicint.org/rethinking-esca…

India-Pakistan: From Misread Signals to Escalation Cascades youtu.be/TkHlBkNo00M?si=WVco…

Team @CSSPR_UOL. My people. My pride. ❤️ Some people make your work easier. Others make it meaningful. I am fortunate to have a team that does both. I don't think I tell them often enough how much they mean to me. I see the long hours, the quiet effort, the initiative they take, the problems they solve without being asked, and the care they put into things because they know they matter to me. I see their individual struggles, their growth, their little victories, and the determination with which they keep moving forward. What makes me particularly proud is watching them grow into confident, capable individuals who are finding their own voices and learning to trust their own judgment. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than seeing someone on my team do something they once thought they couldn't. We have our disagreements, our demanding days, our moments of frustration, and plenty of laughter in between. But that's what makes this team real. I don't expect perfection. I value sincerity, ownership, and the willingness to learn. To each one of you at CSSPR: I appreciate you, I believe in you, and I am incredibly proud of the people you are becoming. You may not always hear it from me, especially when I am pushing you to do better, but please know that I notice far more than I say. You make me proud every single day. My team. My strength. My people. ❤️

Introducing The Human Experience | A Conversation Series by FSS The Faculty of Social Sciences at The University of Lahore has launched “The Human Experience”, a series of conversations exploring the lives behind public recognition and success. The series invites celebrated and accomplished individuals to speak about the struggles and failures that have shaped them. By creating space for these experiences, FSS aims to give students a fuller understanding of achievement and an opportunity to reflect on their own expectations, setbacks, and possibilities. Our inaugural event, “An Evening with Jawad Sheikh,” featured the poet in a wide-ranging conversation with the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences. The discussion explored the person behind the poetry, his sensitivity and vulnerability, and his awareness of the responsibility his words carry for those who read him. Held in collaboration with the UOL Literary Society, the evening also marked the society’s launch, with Abdul Waris Hameed bringing warmth and grace to the stage as host. Through The Human Experience, we hope to make room on campus for honest conversations about what it takes to live through difficulty while finding one’s way. #TheHumanExperience #FSS #UniversityOfLahore #JawadSheikh #UOLLiterarySociety

EVN Senior Expert Masterclass: Professor Nicholas Wheeler: Interpersonal... youtu.be/p8Y-ylcYLes?si=BfNb… via @YouTube