By Saima Afzal
Broadly speaking security in any objective sense means; ‘the absence of threat to acquired national values’ and in subjective sense it means; ‘the absence of fear that these values will be attacked’. So, security means the protection of core national values. The core national values encompass territorial integrity, foreign policy, economic growth and preservation of political, economic and cultural identity. A state must be free to choose both its friends and enemies.
In the present scenario, Pakistan faces internal and external challenges to its national security. Internally, Pakistan is facing enormous challenges in the shape of terrorism, sectarian violence, fragile economy, corruption, weak law and order situation, corruption, energy crisis, radicalization and so on. To counter terrorism and militancy from here, Pakistan’s army has launched Operation Zarb-i-Azb against the militants since June 15, 2014. The nuisance is present in one form or other which needs to be dealt with iron hands in order to root out it from Pakistan’s soil and to improve our internal security.
Externally, Pakistan is having security challenges from regional, sub-regional entities and even across regional players i.e. India, Afghanistan, Iran, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the US. The turning point in the internal and external security threat was propelled by the event of 9/11, in which Pakistan was asked either to be ‘us’ or with ‘the terrorists’ and thus Pakistan became an ally of the US in her war against terrorism. This major shift in our foreign policy made friends opponents and turns the table on Pakistan. Now Pakistan is a security deficit state. And now as the US is planning to partially withdraw its forces from Afghanistan at the end of 2014 which is biggest challenge for Pakistan’s security because the US’s presence in Afghanistan is interconnected with the stability and national security of Pakistan.
Furthermore, India, a neighboring country with whom we are always in a state of war and enduring rivalry since the inception of Pakistan as its inception was not accepted by them whole heartedly. The reason of this enduring rivalry is also seeded in the unresolved issue of Kashmir which is the mother of all problems. Similarly the asymmetry in power capabilities, the Indian hegemonic designs and the persisting sense of insecurity also add fuel to fire and in making the relation cool and dry and the irresolution of different issues between these two. India has established its consulate in Jalalabad, Kandharand Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat in Afghanistan near the western border of Pakistan. It is also claimed that these consulates are involved in subversive activities in the province of Baluchistan and is a constant source of destabilizing Pakistan. It is also claimed that Indian intelligence agency ‘RAW’, involved in supplying weapons to Baluchistan Liberation Army against Pakistan.
The Indo-US Civil Nuclear deal is also a security challenge to Pakistan because it has led towards the arms race in the region and even Indian has declared as de-facto nuclear weapon state by giving a special status in the NPT. India’s bed for permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is also supported by the US and all the major power of today. This will claim India a dominant power in South Asia. The Indian recent shelling on Line of Control is a clear-cut violation of working boundary and it clearly indicates that India want to linger on Kashmir issue and want to create disturbance in upcoming election in Kashmir in November-December. Hence, to counter India is a real challenge for Pakistan.
On the western side Afghanistan is situated which is considered as a gateway to South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East. Pakistan enjoyed cordial and friendly relationship with Afghanistan twice since the inception of Pakistan, once during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and second during the reign of Taliban in Kabul, otherwise there is always remained hostility from Afghanistan’s side; even the Durand Line was not accepted by our afghan brothers.
Furthermore, there is always a blame game of intervention and inference in Afghanistan from both sides across the border. However, after the newly elected governments in Afghanistan expectations of smooth and friendly relations are there and chances are there that the security environment across the border will improve in the future.
Moreover, Iran is an immediate neighbor of Pakistan with a majority Shia population. It also involved in dividing our society on sectarian lines and its vivid example is Baluchistan’s capital Quetta and the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territory recently possess a security challenge to Pakistan’s integrity. To add more, the emerging threat to Pakistan’s security can be from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) because it is getting hold in Iraq and Syria. Al-Qaida and ISIS are same ideologically and there can be an alliance between both organizations in near future because now militant can get refuge to this organization and there is a chance that ISIS can train and provide equipment to militants that ultimately can destabilize Pakistan.
Pakistan cannot be secured until and unless it takes steps to improve smooth and friendly relations with its neighboring states. Pakistan should opt to cash its geographical location being at the juncture of South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East. Similarly, Pakistan should focus more and more to stabilize its internal security by taking counter insurgency measures to discourage further terrorism and sectarian violence in the country. Last but not the least, Pakistan should improve its friendly relations by initiating trade relations with neighbor states this will lead to more and more cooperation and in building confidence and in solving other conflictual issues among the regional.
Monday, November 17, 2014
CHALLENGES TO PAKISTAN’S NATIONAL SECURITY – OPED
By Saima Afzal
Broadly speaking security in any objective sense means; ‘the absence of threat to acquired national values’ and in subjective sense it means; ‘the absence of fear that these values will be attacked’. So, security means the protection of core national values. The core national values encompass territorial integrity, foreign policy, economic growth and preservation of political, economic and cultural identity. A state must be free to choose both its friends and enemies.
In the present scenario, Pakistan faces internal and external challenges to its national security. Internally, Pakistan is facing enormous challenges in the shape of terrorism, sectarian violence, fragile economy, corruption, weak law and order situation, corruption, energy crisis, radicalization and so on. To counter terrorism and militancy from here, Pakistan’s army has launched Operation Zarb-i-Azb against the militants since June 15, 2014. The nuisance is present in one form or other which needs to be dealt with iron hands in order to root out it from Pakistan’s soil and to improve our internal security.
Externally, Pakistan is having security challenges from regional, sub-regional entities and even across regional players i.e. India, Afghanistan, Iran, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and the US. The turning point in the internal and external security threat was propelled by the event of 9/11, in which Pakistan was asked either to be ‘us’ or with ‘the terrorists’ and thus Pakistan became an ally of the US in her war against terrorism. This major shift in our foreign policy made friends opponents and turns the table on Pakistan. Now Pakistan is a security deficit state. And now as the US is planning to partially withdraw its forces from Afghanistan at the end of 2014 which is biggest challenge for Pakistan’s security because the US’s presence in Afghanistan is interconnected with the stability and national security of Pakistan.
Furthermore, India, a neighboring country with whom we are always in a state of war and enduring rivalry since the inception of Pakistan as its inception was not accepted by them whole heartedly. The reason of this enduring rivalry is also seeded in the unresolved issue of Kashmir which is the mother of all problems. Similarly the asymmetry in power capabilities, the Indian hegemonic designs and the persisting sense of insecurity also add fuel to fire and in making the relation cool and dry and the irresolution of different issues between these two. India has established its consulate in Jalalabad, Kandharand Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat in Afghanistan near the western border of Pakistan. It is also claimed that these consulates are involved in subversive activities in the province of Baluchistan and is a constant source of destabilizing Pakistan. It is also claimed that Indian intelligence agency ‘RAW’, involved in supplying weapons to Baluchistan Liberation Army against Pakistan.
The Indo-US Civil Nuclear deal is also a security challenge to Pakistan because it has led towards the arms race in the region and even Indian has declared as de-facto nuclear weapon state by giving a special status in the NPT. India’s bed for permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is also supported by the US and all the major power of today. This will claim India a dominant power in South Asia. The Indian recent shelling on Line of Control is a clear-cut violation of working boundary and it clearly indicates that India want to linger on Kashmir issue and want to create disturbance in upcoming election in Kashmir in November-December. Hence, to counter India is a real challenge for Pakistan.
On the western side Afghanistan is situated which is considered as a gateway to South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East. Pakistan enjoyed cordial and friendly relationship with Afghanistan twice since the inception of Pakistan, once during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and second during the reign of Taliban in Kabul, otherwise there is always remained hostility from Afghanistan’s side; even the Durand Line was not accepted by our afghan brothers.
Furthermore, there is always a blame game of intervention and inference in Afghanistan from both sides across the border. However, after the newly elected governments in Afghanistan expectations of smooth and friendly relations are there and chances are there that the security environment across the border will improve in the future.
Moreover, Iran is an immediate neighbor of Pakistan with a majority Shia population. It also involved in dividing our society on sectarian lines and its vivid example is Baluchistan’s capital Quetta and the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territory recently possess a security challenge to Pakistan’s integrity. To add more, the emerging threat to Pakistan’s security can be from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) because it is getting hold in Iraq and Syria. Al-Qaida and ISIS are same ideologically and there can be an alliance between both organizations in near future because now militant can get refuge to this organization and there is a chance that ISIS can train and provide equipment to militants that ultimately can destabilize Pakistan.
Pakistan cannot be secured until and unless it takes steps to improve smooth and friendly relations with its neighboring states. Pakistan should opt to cash its geographical location being at the juncture of South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East. Similarly, Pakistan should focus more and more to stabilize its internal security by taking counter insurgency measures to discourage further terrorism and sectarian violence in the country. Last but not the least, Pakistan should improve its friendly relations by initiating trade relations with neighbor states this will lead to more and more cooperation and in building confidence and in solving other conflictual issues among the regional.
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