New book dissects May 2025 confrontation

The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), Islamabad and the Centre for Security Strategy and Policy Research (CSSPR), unveiled a ground-breaking edited volume, "Strategic Reckoning: Perspectives on Deterrence and Escalation Post-Pahalgam – May 2025," at a high-profile launch attended by diplomats, scholars, journalists and officials.

The volume, edited by Dr Rabia Akhtar, addresses the May 2025 crisis which is widely considered one of the most dangerous confrontations in South Asia in decades. Contributors highlight the fragility of deterrence, the risks of compressed escalation timelines, and the catastrophic consequences that were narrowly averted. The book documents how Pakistan, despite grave provocations, chose restraint over recklessness, employing calibrated responses that prevented the crisis from spiraling further. The 'collective reckoning' presents Pakistan's firm stance against the normalization of the abnormal.

Chief Guest Information Minister Ata Tarar commended the publication, calling it an essential resource for understanding May 2025 military clash between Pakistan and India. "I commend IRS, CSSPR, and the distinguished contributors of this volume for producing such a timely and thoughtful work on a subject of immense importance for our region." Strategic Reckoning is not just an academic contribution but a vital reflection on one of the most dangerous crises South Asia has faced in recent history," he emphasised.