When the Prime Minister of Pakistan, President of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff attend a conference, it is no longer just a conference, it becomes a statement of intent. The Margalla Dialogue, the flagship forum of the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), has grown into exactly that: a declaration of Pakistan's ambitions, anxieties and aspirations in an uncertain world.

This year's Margalla Dialogue's theme, 'The Future of Global Order: Cooperation or Confrontation' could not be more timely. In an era defined by shifting alliances, fractured supply chains and disruptive technologies, the Dialogue offers Pakistan a stage not merely to take part in global conversations but to shape them.

Last year's gathering placed inclusive growth at the heart of national security. That idea returns this year with greater urgency as the 2025 edition looks outward from Islamabad to the world to ask whether cooperation can survive confrontation.

At its essence, the Margalla Dialogue has become a........

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