Non-Resident Fellow
Non-Proliferation | Nuclear South Asia | International Security
Rabia Akhtar is Dean Faculty of Social Sciences at University of Lahore. A Professor of International Relations, she is the founding Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Policy Research and also of the School of Integrated Social Sciences at the University of Lahore. Dr. Akhtar has a PhD in Security Studies from Kansas State University. She holds Masters degrees in International Relations from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, and in Political Science from Eastern Illinois University, USA. Her scholarly pursuits have revolved around key areas such as South Asian nuclear security, deterrence dynamics, media in the age of deep fakes and disinformation, nuclear weapons, AI and emerging technologies, Pakistan’s foreign policy and national security imperatives, as well as regional and international security issues. She has authored a book titled, ‘The Blind Eye: U.S. Non-proliferation Policy Towards Pakistan from Ford to Clinton’, which showcases her expertise in the field. Moreover, she serves as the Editor of Pakistan Politico, Pakistan’s pioneering magazine on strategic and foreign affairs. Not only has Dr. Akhtar made significant contributions to academia, but she has also played a vital role in shaping foreign policy as a member of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2022. She is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the South Asia Center, Atlantic Council, Washington DC. Dr. Akhtar serves as a visiting faculty at the NATO Defence College, Rome, the NPIHP Nuclear Bootcamp, Rome and ISODARCO, Andalo, Italy.
Emerging and Disruptive Technologies in South Asia: Perceptions of Risks and Responsibilities in Crisis Management and Prevention explores the impact of Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs) on crisis prevention and management in South Asia.
‘Crisis Communications: Indian and Pakistani Perspectives on Responsible Practices’ is a compendium of essays written by Indian and Pakistani nuclear policy experts and journalists that explore how the two countries can communicate in ways that help prevent crisis escalation at different levels of interaction. Edited by Rabia Akhtar, Chiara Cervasio, Ruhee Neog, Alice Spilman, and Nicholas J. Wheeler.
Rabia Akhtar shows how a focus on nuclear responsibilities in South Asia opens up new possibilities for a dialogue that can contribute to developing a new shared framework for reducing risks, especially during times of crisis.
Rabia Akhtar reviews the Nuclear Responsibilities Approach from a Pakistani perspective.
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