IPRI holds Strategic Communications Workshop 2026

ISLAMABAD, Aug 25 (APP):The Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) held a two-day Strategic Communications Workshop on 24–25 August 2026, designed to bridge theory and practice in the field of strategic communication.

The workshop featured trainers including Aamir Ghauri, Ms Amber Shamsi, Usama Bakhtiar, Talha Ahad,  Awais Abbasi and Ehtasham Abbas, said a press release issued on Tuesday.

The workshop was organized by IPRI’s Advocacy and Communication Team and brought together policymakers, researchers, communication professionals, academics and media practitioners to build their skills for navigating the evolving information landscape.

  The programme combined discussions with practical exercises, reflecting IPRI’s commitment to translating policy research into learning and practice.

The workshop opened with remarks by Lt Gen (R) Majid Ehsan, President of IPRI, who stated, “Strategic communication can no longer be understood simply as the articulation of policy or the management of public perception. It increasingly sits at the intersection of information, perception, behaviour and national power.” He emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is accelerating the transformation of strategic communications.

The Director of Advocacy and Communications, Siddique Humayun, highlighted the need to balance technical skills with deeper wisdom. Drawing on Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary, he argued that effective strategic communication must recover holistic understanding alongside rigorous technique.

He stated, “Strategic Communications is long-term. It is target-audience-driven. It is relentlessly impact-focused. It requires the deliberate alignment of words, images, symbols, actions and, sometimes, most importantly, silence, to advance defined objectives across any stratum of life.”

The workshop pursued four key objectives. First, it aimed to develop participants’ understanding of strategic communication as an instrument of national security, diplomacy, governance and public policy. Second, it examined trends shaping the information environment, including artificial intelligence, disinformation, digital influence, cognitive warfare and evolving media ecosystems. Third, it sought to strengthen participants’ capabilities in designing communication strategies, responding to information crises and countering disinformation. Finally, it applied tools of government communication, public diplomacy, media engagement, digital campaigns and behavioural insights to engage and influence audiences.

On the first day, the opening session addressed information as an instrument of national power, examining strategic narratives, perception management and the role of communication in foreign and security policy, with contributions from Mr Aamir Ghauri, Ms Amber Shamsi and Mr Siddique Humayun. The second session, led by Mr Usama Bakhtiar, focused on advocacy for policy impact, covering policy ecosystems, advocacy for change and impact measurement. The third session, led by Mr Talha Ahad, Founder of TCM, addressed AI, digital media and digital storytelling. It covered narrative construction across platforms, stakeholder and platform dynamics, and emerging trends such as algorithm-driven content distribution and generative SEO.

On the second day, the fourth session, led by Mr Awais Abbasi, addressed strategic communication in practice, covering government communication, public diplomacy, media engagement, digital campaigns and behavioural insights into audience influence. The fifth session, led by Mr Ehtasham Abbas, focused on disinformation, information warfare and crisis communication. It covered disinformation ecosystems, information warfare, counter-disinformation strategies, crisis communication frameworks and case studies.

The workshop took place against the backdrop of a rapidly transforming information environment, driven by artificial intelligence, algorithmic content distribution and disinformation campaigns. By bringing together voices from government, media, academia and the private sector, IPRI sought to strengthen participants’ capacity to navigate this evolving landscape and equip communication professionals with tools grounded in both research and practice.