National security seminar: Economic disparity undermines unity, say experts

Experts discuss need for maintaining national unity amid plethora of challenges.

ISLAMABAD: Today our country is beset with numerous challenges, yet it offers many reasons to be sanguine about its future --- a convalescent economy, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and  successful fight against militancy, to name a few.

This was stated by Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qadir Baloch while addressing a seminar on ‘National Unity: A Critical Factor in National Security.’ The event was organised by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with National Defence University’s (NDU) Department of International Relations on Tuesday, said a press release.

In these circumstances, the need for maintaining national unity is paramount as a number of elements are working to destabilise Pakistan, he said.

The speakers approached the issue of national integrity from a variety of angles. All of them, however, agreed that need for national unity was vital at the time when the state is facing a variety of internal and external challenges.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, ISSI Director-General Ambassador (retd) Masood Khan said despite its diversity, Pakistan is a united nation, which has always stood together in the face of many odds.

Kashmir, nuclear power and cricket strengthen the bond of national unity, he added. He, however, cautioned that national unity should not be taken as a given; it has to be nurtured with care and with continuous efforts. Distributive justice and inclusive economic and political development conduce national unity, whereas inequality and economic disparity undermine it, he said.

Pakistan, the former ambassador averred, needed national unity more than ever before. He noted that participation of students was a distinctive feature of the seminar. The idea was to make them realise that they should take responsibility of national security at an early stage of their career, he said.

The seminar was addressed by several noted scholars and practitioners, including former federal minister Javed Jabbar, former defence secretary Lt Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik, former DG ISI Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani, former ambassador Shamshad Ahmad Khan, journalist Zahid Hussian, security expert Amir Rana, QAU professor Dr Rifaat Hussain, NDU professor Dr Muhammad Khan, Gomal University professor Dr Mansoor Kundi, University of Peshawar professor Dr Ijaz Khan and ISSI Board of Governors Chairman Ambassador Khalid Mahmood.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2015.