Pakistan’s new National Security Policy charts a real way forward – Salman Bashir

On January 14, Pakistan’s National Security Policy (NSP) was unveiled by Prime Minister Imran Khan at an event organized by the National Security Division in Islamabad. The credit for accomplishing this undertaking goes to National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf and his team, which after an extensive national consultative process have enunciated a comprehensive policy framework for Pakistan’s national endeavors in the years to come. 

The public document comprises of some 60 pages of declaratory policy guidelines. The confidential part contains specifics for system wide coordination and implementation. The NSP was earlier approved by the Defense Committee/ Security Committee comprising civil and military authorities. Although the National Defense University prepares an annual National Security Paper that is presented to the government, this is the first time that an approved national policy has been issued by the government.

The key significance of the NSP is that it signifies Pakistan’s intent to prioritize economic and social development with commensurate adjustments in terms of internal and external focus and allocation of resources. Simply stated it means that the main objective of all national endeavors will be development with human-centric security and dividends accruing to the citizens.

Peace within and abroad is a sine qua non for realizing this objective. Both internal and external policies will thus have to be synchronized. Extrapolated to the region, it means friendship with all enmity toward none. In the regional context, the policy signals Pakistan’s desire to improve relations with India on the basis of sovereign equality and conflict resolution and dispute settlement.

Taking a break from continuous confrontation with India, Pakistan would be prepared to find mutually beneficial areas of cooperation. Readiness to engage in economic and trade cooperation bilaterally or via SAARC being distinct possibilities. This indeed is a notable gesture that all major powers and the region as a whole should note and welcome. Of course, how this gesture will be reciprocated by India is a major question.

Nevertheless, Pakistan’s comprehensive strategic and conventional capabilities provides it with a high degree of confidence that it can manage the threat posed by India. Adversarial relations need not limit productive economic cooperation. This is a fine point which all sides especially the people of Pakistan and India need to understand and appreciate.

The NSP places a premium on wider regional economic cooperation where connectivity and trade hold immense potential for Central, West and South Asia. Pakistan holds one of the keys to unlocking the economic potential of landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia through its port on the Arabian sea. This region has seen tremendous tumult over the past half century and more. The geopolitical tensions and contests have crushed the socio economic and cultural fabric of these societies.

Pakistan itself willingly let itself become a part of these contests since its very independence. The NSP is an explicit declaration of abjuring ‘camp politics’ and inviting all interested to participate in opportunities opening up with CPEC developments. The cynics and others too glued to geopolitics consider the NSP as far fetched, as a country and region enveloped by global geopolitical strategies could only wish for geoeconomics but cannot avoid geopolitical pitfalls.

In this sense, the NSP presents a clear vision, which would hold considerable appeal to many other regional states for its message to remain clear of negative alignments. Focusing inwards and developing national resilience and comprehensive economic strength is the way forward in this age of globalization.
This is born from Pakistan’s own experience of steep economic decline suffered due to its participation in global contestations during the past 50 years. These geopolitical storms eventually abate but leave in their wake societies in total ruins such as the case with Afghanistan.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Pakistan will have to revamp its domestic governance structures to deliver on the NSP promise of development and human security. The requisite political will to enable the considerable national potential will have to be mustered and the key state institutions including the parliament and judiciary will have to adapt to new ways of thinking and working. Or else the NSP will remain an aspirational document.

The NSP presents a balanced course in steering Pakistan safely in an uncertain and turbulent world. It is a brilliant piece of work which expresses the deeply held aspirations of the people of Pakistan. The time for realizing these aspirations has come.

– Salman Bashir is a Pakistani diplomat who served as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and as High Commissioner of Pakistan to India.
Twitter: @Salman_B_PK