National security: Conference calls for political stability, strong economy

Former defense secretary says low intensity conflict to continue

The security and economic situation in Pakistan is a topic of hot debates and has got policy makers and experts scratch their heads for quite a while now.

A two-day conference on “Matrix of Regional and National Security in South Asia and Its Post-2014 Dynamics” that concluded here on Friday was another attempt at finding viable solutions for the ongoing regional conflicts according to a press release.

Former defence secretary Lt-Gen Khalid Naeem Lodhi feared that even if the bigger looming security concerns are addressed in Pakistan, low intensity conflict, being covertly driven by ‘external players’, could prolong into the near future.



“Chances of a major conventional clash with any of the neighbours were remote despite continuation of threat,” he added while cautioning that economic instability, lack of education and health services, and the religious and sectarian strife in the country posed a collective bigger threat.

Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities School at the National University of Sciences and Technology Dr Ashfaque Hassan Khan, while discussing the linkages between economy and national security, said stronger economy would ensure stronger defence. He suggested that challenges to the economy, though not insurmountable, should be taken seriously.

“The IMF programme is full of faults and would do more harm than good to the country,” he maintained showing his skepticism about the recently announced youth loan scheme.

Meanwhile on the role of media, journalist Farhan Bokhari said it was operating within a weak regulatory framework and it is yet to be figured how the media handles its new found freedom without compromising public interest.

In a presentation on “Regional and International Security Policy Architectures”, Dr Daniel Flaschenberg opined that the regional balance would remain unchanged even after the withdrawal of coalition troops from Afghanistan.

“Pakistan’s strategy in this scenario should avoid turning Afghanistan into a chessboard for its national security interests,” he suggested calling for resumption of Pakistan-India composite dialogue.



This, he said, could begin with dialogues on strategically inconsequential matters so that mutual confidence could be built instead of remaining bogged down in bigger issues that are difficult to resolve.

The conference was jointly hosted by Strategic Vision Institute (SVI) and German Foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and concluded with the observation that political stability and economic strength constituted the key to the solution of national security problems.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2013.