NIMA Hosts 5th International Maritime Symposium 2026 at Bahria University

What Happened

The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) hosted the 5th International Maritime Symposium 2026 (IMS-26) at Bahria University in Islamabad [1, 2]. The event was organized under the theme “Eroding Rules-Based International Order at Sea and Maritime Security Paradigm 2.0” [1]. According to a press release from the Directorate General Public Relations (Navy), the symposium consisted of two distinct sessions involving diplomats, policymakers, and experts from national and international levels [1, 2].

• First Session: This session, titled “Geopolitics of Global Commons International Order at Sea,” featured Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Naveed Ashraf as the Chief Guest [1, 2]. Discussions focused on the rules-based maritime order, freedom of navigation, strategic choke points, competition for ocean resources, maritime stability, and emerging technologies [1].
• Second Session: This session, titled “Pakistan’s Maritime Future: Maritime Security, Ocean Governance and Blue Economy,” was attended by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Mr. Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry [1, 2]. Topics included Pakistan’s Blue Economy potential, Indian Ocean security, port resilience, sustainable governance, and the use of AI and autonomous capabilities [1].

During the event, Admiral Naveed Ashraf reaffirmed the Pakistan Navy’s commitment to securing vital sea lines of communication, promoting regional stability through international cooperation, and upholding a rules-based maritime order [1, 2]. Speakers addressed specific vulnerabilities in sea lines of communication, particularly near the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb, as well as threats from cyber warfare, unregulated resource extraction, and disruptive technologies [1].

NIMA President Rear Admiral Javaid Iqbal (Retd) welcomed participants and advocated for reforms to maritime legal frameworks, including UNCLOS, noting growing technological and geopolitical threats [1, 2]. Keynote speakers included former CJCSC General Zubair Mahmood Hayat (Retd) and Ambassador Sardar Masood Khan [1].

Other notable speakers included:

• R/Adm Staff Abdullah Jaber AlZaidi (Saudi Arabia)
• V/Adm Datuk Yusne bin Hj Mokhtar (Chief Executive MiDAS)
• Dr. Barbara Stepien (Chair of PILFL&A, JU, Poland)
• Dr. Mustafa Baskara (CEO DEHUKAM, Turkiye)
• R/Adm Sohail Ahmad Azmie (Commandant PN War College)
• R/Adm M Sohail Arshad (CEO MTSS)
• R/Adm Shahid Ahmed (Chairman KPT)
• Prof. Dr. Huma Baqai (Rector MiTE)
• Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal (Vice Chancellor QAU)
• Dr. Muhammad Nadeem Javaid (Vice Chancellor PIDE)
• Advocate Ahmer Bilal Soofi [1, 2].

Who Is Affected

The discussions highlighted the importance of Gwadar as a regional connectivity hub and acknowledged the Pakistan Navy’s contributions to multinational maritime security [1].