Defence vision: ‘Security policy should cover non-military threats’

Senate body says cyber warfare, terrorism and extremism, should be part of the new policy.

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate panel on defence has recommended that “non-conventional and non-military threats” should be included in the national security policy.

“Climate change, cyber warfare, terrorism and extremism, anti-Pakistan propaganda, weak economy, energy crisis and corruption should be part of the new national security policy,” said the Senate standing committee on defence and defence production in a report.

The report contains ingredients for a new defence vision for Pakistan and underlines the need for revamping the notion of national security, which, in the past, was largely defined only in military terms, said Mushahid Hussain Syed who heads the committee.

“In the 21st century Pakistan, the concept of national defence has to include involvement of key stakeholders such as parliament, political parties, judiciary, media, civil society, as well as such key areas as economy, energy, education, rule of law and provincial autonomy,” the report said.

The committee also launched a new initiative, another first in Pakistan’s parliamentary history, by having a public hearing on defence policy.

According to the committee head, these bimonthly reports are part of the series leading up to the preparation of a new national defence policy and strategy document by the Senate Defence and Defence Production Committee which would be launched in the early part of 2013, after due consultation with all the stakeholders as well as public hearings and committee briefings.

In line with this objective, the committee also visited the Naval Headquarters where they were given a briefing by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila. The briefing included details about the navy’s preparedness as well as its endeavours in the field of flood relief operations and marine pollution.

In due course, the committee will be visiting the Services Headquarters of the other services as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2012.