LAHORE: The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore on Thursday organised a seminar titled “Air Power Beyond Combat: The PAF in Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)”, bringing together academics, military officers and security experts to discuss the evolving role of air power in non-traditional security domains.
The event was opened by Ameer Abdullah Khan, Senior Research Associate at CASS Lahore. Delivering the keynote address, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd), President of CASS Lahore, traced the transformation of air power from a conventional warfighting tool to a key enabler of human security. He noted that climate change, fragile infrastructure, governance stress and humanitarian crises had expanded the operational relevance of air and space power, often positioning them as first responders in emergencies.
He highlighted the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) growing role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and its institutional adaptation under Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
Prof Dr Shaheen Akhtar of the National Defence University examined how traditional security institutions are recalibrating in response to non-traditional threats. She said climate stress and humanitarian challenges had pushed security frameworks beyond state-centric paradigms, describing MOOTW as a pragmatic avenue for engagement while stressing the need for civilian oversight and clear mandates.
Air Vice Marshal Nasser Ul Haq Wyne (Retd), Director CASS Islamabad, outlined the PAF’s operational experience in disaster response, from the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods to Covid-19 and recent climate emergencies. He said these experiences had strengthened institutional learning, air mobility, medical outreach and inter-agency coordination.
In his concluding remarks, Air Marshal Suleiman said the expanding role of air power in MOOTW reflected structural shifts in the security environment rather than any dilution of combat capability. He emphasised that doctrinal clarity and civilian coordination remained essential to ensure national resilience.
The seminar concluded with an interactive discussion, with participants appreciating CASS Lahore’s initiative in hosting the dialogue.
