“Policies are developed so that we don’t become hostage of events.” — Anonymous
PAKISTAN’s first and comprehensive National Security Policy has assumed marked importance in the wake of skirmishes between India and Pakistan between May 6-10. I referred to the NSP in my last column, ‘Development challenges’, published in these pages on May 30, 2025. After receiving numerous inquiries, I realised that our NSP may not be general knowledge. So I figured a column was in order.
First, let’s recognise that we do, in fact, have a valid National Security Policy 2022-2026, and a very good one at that. Most countries either don’t have a national security policy or don’t make it public. Not only does Pakistan have a national security policy but it is also a largely public document, with a confidential portion.
By contrast in India, as reported by the media there in 2023, the National Security Council Secretariat has been trying to bring out a national security strategy for many years. Deliberations between the military and strategic community have attempted to build a case and content for the strategy, but it has yet to come to fruition.
After Pakistan, Japan has also produced a national security policy with some interesting similarities between the two. Our NSP was approved after thorough discussions by the highest security forum in the country — the National Security Committee (NSC), and then by the highest national government decision-making body, the federal cabinet, on Dec 28, 2021. It was launched publicly on Jan 14, 2022, with full civil and military support.
‘Security of Pakistan rests in the security of its citizens.’
Good public policies are those which are backed up by robust research and wider, inclusive consultative processes, as is the case with the NSP. It was led by our first civilian National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf, who was well-suited to his post because of his laudable credentials. A security and strategy academic, he has credible standing in the global security research community, with his wide-ranging experience and academic contributions.
“Formulating a comprehensive National Security Policy for the approval of the National Security Committee as well as ensuring its sustainability through monitoring its implementation and undertaking periodical reviews/updates in consultation with all stakeholders as required” reads the mandate of the National Security Division, according to the Rules of Business, 1973. However, the division had not fulfilled this important part of its mandate since 1973. There was some active interest in 2014, but even then a national security policy could not be developed.
Upon assuming office in December 2019, Dr Yusuf picked up the mantle. Wider national consultations were undertaken, some of which I witnessed personally; 120 working groups in almost all sectors were set up and more than 500 experts consulted.
The policy passed through civil-military scrutiny. The process eventually involved tabling the document in an in-camera briefing before the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, with the then opposition members unfortunately boycotting the proceedings. Eventually, it was approved by the NSC and the federal cabinet.
Rolling out the NSP was meant to set a “directional tone” and send a message to the world that our vision for national security is broad and seeks to identify the means of expanding economic resources so that Pakistan can simultaneously strengthen its traditional and non-traditional security. “The security of Pakistan rests in the security of its citizens,” wrote the prime minister in his message. “Realising the symbiotic relationship between economic, human and traditional security is now imperative for Pakistan’s long-term development. Domestic stability and regional peace based on mutual coexistence, regional connectivity, and shared prosperity are essential prerequisites to optimising national security.”
The NSP articulates a citizen-centric comprehensive national security framework for Pakistan whose ultimate purpose is to ensure the safety, security, dignity and prosperity of Pakistanis.
Organised in eight parts, the NSP covers almost all important aspects of a comprehensive national security framework: national cohesion; economic future; defence and territorial integrity; internal security; foreign policy in a changing world; and human security. The last section on human security covers population growth and migration; health security; climate and water stress; food security and gender security. The NSP includes education in the section on “securing our economic future” as a means of producing an employable and skilled labour force in a highly competitive and technology-driven global job market.
Personally, I am not too happy with the section on health security as it is patchy in concept. It is mainly driven by the Covid pandemic and how to prepare and respond to health emergencies rather than paying serious attention to the urgent need to strengthen essential healthcare for all without discrimination, ie, universal health coverage, which is not possible without investing in primary healthcare.
The continuity of public policies across governments is a sign of system maturity. However, implementation is another challenge altogether.
Regarding the continuity of the NSP, despite providing an inbuilt annual review within the policy, we haven’t heard anything about its implementation. Even in the case of the best laws and policies, the devil resides in the space between policy and implementation.
At the moment, it seems that our NSP has been forgotten. In the backdrop of the events of last month, and with Pakistan now sending its delegations to other capitals to present its case, I wonder if the NSP was even a part of the dossiers prepared for members of the delegation.
It is never too late, however. It is time to revisit Pakistan’s National Security Policy, update it, and implement it. This would be our best case on national security to put before the world.
The writer is a former health minister and currently a professor of health systems & population health at the Shifa Tameer-i-Millat University.
Reference Link:- https://www.dawn.com/news/1916884