New security dialogue

Pakistan has had enough initiatives, and inadvertently taken flak, in trying to woo its allies and adversaries

Multidimensional inclusive security is the way to go. The conventional approach of protecting nation-states through fortified armed security is no more relevant. Prime Minister Imran Khan, while inaugurating the second edition of Islamabad Security Dialogue in the federal capital, said that his vision is to see Pakistan grow as a welfare state where rule of law prevails and the apartheid developmental module is done away with. Aptly referring to the crisis of governance, in which his government is in these days, the prime minister said that it is all owing to a culture of subservience traditionally practised at the helm of affairs. While underscoring the need for an independent foreign policy, he wondered that if India despite being a member of QUAD could have good relations with Russia and trade with it too, in an era of sanctions, what ails Pakistan from doing so.

Touch-basing upon the luring confrontation with the United States, which is there these days in the form of the leaked cablecommunique, Prime Minister Imran was categorical that it will go on to test the nerves of the nation as to how self-reliant and consciously viable it wants it to be by breaking the shackles of imperialism. One of the most noticeable aspects of the embattled PM, who is facing a vote of no-confidence on Sunday, was his astute body language. He looked firm and confident. Moreover, he didn’t mince words in pointing a finger at the opposition leaders who the other day were rhyming in favour of Washington, pleading that confrontation is not advisable. The fact that he desisted from outright name-calling and lambasting the opposition was a sign of thaw, and hinted at a probable give and take behind the curtains.

The dialogue, which is a flagship initiative of the Government of Pakistan under the aegis of National Security Division, laid out a broad perspective of interaction among scholars and policymakers, inevitably driving home the point that it’s high time to bid adieu to the bureaucracy-laden synopsis of policy orientation and to leap into research, hypothesis and articulation. The theme is out of the box thinking, which undoubtedly goes on to establish sound footing for independent thinking, and likewise translate the synergies into a camp-less foreign policy. This is what the Prime Minister meant as he called for navigating a way out of dependence syndrome.

Pakistan has had enough of initiatives, and inadvertently taken a lot of flak too, in earnestly trying to woo its allies and adversaries. From SEATO-Cento to alliedally, it is a trajectory of broken promises. Pakistan’s national interests were never upheld, and that is evident from the collateral damage that it suffered in the post-9/11 era. As rightly pointed out by PM Imran, the premise was on personal interests to grope in aid and not nation-building. Now is the time to foment a perfect line of interaction with regional countries as well as those beyond, by sounding clear on policy issues, and refusing to be part of alignment when it comes to war and confrontation. Being allies in peace would work, and that is what Islamabad desires as it crystalises an intellectual debating forum and that too in an official context.