Erroneous pursuit

It's nothing new that once any country with weak and fragile leadership is beleaguered with umpteen domestic and external problems, it seeks to divert the attention of the public lest the prevailing challenges become a thorn in the flesh of the government or if it is held to account. Pakistan is one such country in our immediate neighbourhood whose Prime Minister Imran Khan (PMIK) is still experimenting with the country's governance, employing multiple methods of 'trial and error' though none seems to be working for the man at the helm who is in the fourth year of his Premiership. The latest of such PR exercises or much-hyped propaganda blitz is the introduction of the formal National Security Policy that was signed by Imran Khan on January 15 amid immense fanfare and publicity.

Prima facie, it would appear after scrutiny of the policy paper that it lays emphasis only on external threats posed to Pakistan to meet the security challenges arising out of the possibility of hybrid warfare, cyber-attacks and threats from the non-state actors. There are obvious implications of India in the policy as if India is the only and the biggest threat to Pakistan's territorial integrity or survival. Significantly, there are at least eight references to India and they are all negative. In other words, the policy concept is India-specific. There is obvious mention of Kashmir, abrogation of Article 370, the situation in Kashmir and related areas. The author of this well-drummed propaganda policy implying India as the potential aggressor is Moeed Yusuf, the National Security Advisor (NSA), who took copious pride in announcing this stated policy with live broadcast and explaining every possible detail of the policy paper before the Pakistani people. He even went to the extent of provoking the politicians to discuss it in the legislature. Driven by juvenile ambition and in an apparent bid to impress the Western consumers about Pakistan's security policy, NSA Yusuf fell short of expectations except to nurture his own wishful thinking to please his political masters and perhaps a section of the curious segment of Pakistanis who have been impatient to know as to what was Pakistan's policy. So, the ritual or the motion has been gone through by the architect of this concept paper, Dr Moeed Yusuf, but objectively speaking, things are once again back to square one. Same India bashing, same stale old thoughts which have already outlived long back due to drastic geopolitical changes in the South Asian region.

According to the preliminary reports emanating from Pakistan security watchers, PMIK and his National Security team could have done well if they had incorporated measures to combat the existential threat from the rising religious radicalism within the country. This is the biggest security threat. Instead of highlighting threats from the external quarters, it would have been more opportune and appropriate if an exercise was carried out on this topic which is far more relevant in the present context and if conducted professionally, it could instill a sense of safety and security amongst the people in general. More specifically, it would have sent positive signals to the Pakistan youth who today seem confused with the bogey of a 'Naya Pakistan' which has proved to be elusive and totally utopian.

In the same vein, most of the think tanks feel that the Pakistani economy which is showing signs of struggle could have had priority over the National Security to convince the people about the priorities the government was adhering to come out of the woods. Attaching undue importance to a theme like security means an attitude of belligerence at this critical juncture when Pakistan's internal political and religious problems are dominating the country's landscape. Here, it's not totally out of context to mention that the threats within, even political, are mounting at alarming proportions. On January 16, the Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Sirajul Haq who has a considerable following in and outside Pakistan, categorically stated that the only solution that's imminent for Pakistan is the immediate exit of Imran Khan. More importantly, the religious party leader forthrightly alleged that Pakistan and its PM Imran Khan cannot function together. This is really a very intimidating and serious statement which undoubtedly exhibits the ire people are nurturing against Imran Khan. There are almost all opposition political leaders in Pakistan who are in a defiant and angst mood calling repeatedly about Imran Khan to be eased out. His position, therefore, is delicate and slippery, to say the least. Such a tirade is not showing any signs of abatement and instead, is expected to pick up further momentum in the not-so-distant future.

These developments apart, Pakistan has been drawing flak overseas as well. The National Security Policy, currently under discussion, seems to be silent on those Pakistani radicals who are often noticed in terror offensives outside the country. In France last year, a person of Pakistani origin was complicit in cases of terror assaults. There are numerous other instances sporadically involving Pakistanis in hate and terror-linked crimes in various parts of the world. The latest such case was the most recent involvement of a Pakistani national in a Texas synagogue who was subsequently neutralised by US security. Another case that very freshly came to the limelight was in the port city of Rotterdam where the Dutch police foiled the attempts of a Pakistani origin hitman trying to kill the famous Pakistani human rights activist and dissident Ahmad Waqass Goraya. He is believed to be figuring in the hit list in Pakistan obviously to stifle the dissent Goraya has created for the establishment. Unless these external issues are not adequately and appropriately addressed, the much-hyped National Security Policy will be rendered meaningless, devoid of any substance. Optics, PR drills and publicity on the lines of corporate marketing could seem glamorous at the first look, like in the present case of Pakistan's National Security, but in reality, it's short-lived, serving no good to the state or to a large section of disillusioned Pakistani people.

The writer is a retired IPS officer, a security analyst and a former National Security Advisor to the PM of Mauritius. Views expressed are personal