New NSP: The pivot of national imperative
LAST Friday, the Government of Pakistan unveiled the contours of our first-ever endorsed National Security Policy (NSP), arguing that in the exigency of our national imperatives, a multi-pronged strategy is devised to ensure the protection of its citizens and guard economic interests.
Notably, we have had a national security policy (NSP) under debate since 2014.
Apparently, the new NSP— as advocated, envisaged and indoctrinated by Pakistan’s National Security Division— is the core manifestation of our national interests.
Why the need for a new NSP? The concept of national security is constantly evolving and it now encompasses comprehensive security— revolving around the security of the common citizen.
It is fundamentally argued that comprehensive security is impossible to achieve without non-traditional aspects of security; including economic security, climate security, food security, etc.
Needless to say, Pakistan, is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change.
Whereas 25% of Pakistan’s population lives in extreme poverty, this has posed threat to Pakistan’s national security.
Therefore, uplifting the quality of life of the population is but necessary for national security.
Whereas now Pakistan aims to design a comprehensive policy on food security based on complete and accurate assessment and data.
The NSA, Dr Moeed Yusuf, said the new NSP was centred on economic security while geo-strategic and geo-political imperatives also featured prominently in it to strengthen Pakistan’s security and standing in the world.
The ideological fundamentals of new NSP (2022-26): The document states: “The employment of terrorism has become a preferred policy choice for hostile actors in addition to soft intrusion through various non-kinetic means.
Terrorism is also being used to disrupt and delay development initiatives.” A consensus on comprehensive national security framework is deemed necessary to provide the strategic vision for a secure and prosperous Pakistan.
It is why comprehensive security is the combination of traditional and non-traditional security.
It entails national cohesion, territorial integrity and sovereignty, proactive foreign policy and diplomacy, and economic human security.
Therefore, economic security, at the core of Pakistan’s national security, is based on three pillars: connectivity, development partnerships and domestic and regional peace.
“A just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains at the core of Pakistan’s bilateral relationship with India,” the NSP states.
And above all, Pakistan will continue to maintain its policy of full-spectrum nuclear deterrence.
According to the 62 page declassified document, the new policy articulates a citizen-centric framework, placing economic security at its core and seeking a secure and economically resilient Pakistan.
A cultural shift is required to improve our policymaking and to establish comprehensive security.
Adoption of the whole of government approach where all organs of the State work in close coordination.
Proactive, inclusive, prioritized, pragmatic and consistent policymaking.Terming the NSP formulation and approval a historic moment, PM Imran Khan noted that the policy must guide all organs of the government to ensure that their efforts were synchronised with the overall direction of the new policy.
PM Imran Khan emphasised that the security of Pakistan lies in the security of its citizens and reiterated that Pakistan was well prepared to meet any internal and external threats.
“Strengthening police forces and associated counter-terrorism agencies, undertaking intelligence-based operations against all terrorist groups, preventing any use of financial sources for terrorism, addressing structural deficiencies and sense of deprivation in recruitment areas, and promoting a pluralistic anti-terror narrative”.
It states that the “exploitation and manipulation of ethnic, religious, and sectarian lines through violent extremist ideologies” cannot be allowed, PM added.
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said the policy was an important milestone in strengthening Pakistan’s national security.
“The comprehensive framework recognizes interlinkages between various strands of national security, imperative to meet emerging challenges in [the] evolving global environment through a whole of government effort,” he said.
“Pakistan’s defence forces will play their due part in achieving the vision laid out in the policy,” the ISPR Director General said.
The strategic dynamics of the NSP & foreign policy: An intense great power competition is ensuing and there is a power shift from West to East, South Asia is feeling the pull and push of the power shifts.
Thus eight major challenges are identified as posing a threat to Pakistan’s security: great power competition between China and the US gross violations of international law and norms by India; the precarious peace situation in Afghanistan, Iran’s international isolation, the COVID pandemic; obsolete system of governance, political instability within the country and the advent of modern technologies and artificial intelligence.
It holds since the focus of the US Administration has moved from the Middle East and Afghanistan-Pakistan to Indo-Pacific region, it provides Islamabad an opportunity to reinvent and reidentify itself in the eyes of the US.
And most importantly, Pakistan can help reduce tension between the US and China.
As for our relations with India, the onus of burden is on the Indian side to start a peace dialogue with Pakistan.
Whereas Pakistan wishes to resolve the Kashmir dispute through peaceful means and dialogue.
India should provide the right of self-determination to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in the light of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Arguably, Pakistan cannot capitalise on its geostrategic location without improving trade ties with neighbouring countries.
To gain importance in the global market, Pakistan must utilize advance technology. Understandably, sustainable economic growth is not possible without regional trade, connectivity and regional peace.
It is further argued that Pakistan has huge stakes in Afghanistan. Afghanistan holds the key to peace, trade connectivity to Central Asia and economic development in the region.
Though the skeptics raise doubts regarding the implementation of the NSP, the optimists argue since institutional inclusivity is the core of our new national security policy, it will help prevent an institutional imbalance in the country.
In fact, the NSP is a revival of the Islamabad Security Dialogue (ISD) as well as the reaffirmation of the fundamentals retrospectively enshrined in the National Action Programme (NAP).
—The writer, an independent ‘IR’ researcher-cum-international law analyst based in Pakistan, is member of European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on IR, Critical Peace & Conflict Studies, also a member of Washington Foreign Law Society and European Society of International Law.
