Roadmap for Internal Security Policy formulation centered on goals defined in Vision 2025: Ahsan
ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):Minister for Interior, Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said roadmap for formulation
of National Internal Security Policy (NISP) is centered on goals defined in vision 2025
that envisages a sharing peace, stability and development link which is key for progress.
He was addressing a National Conference on Internal Security:
Peace & Sustainable Development, organized here at Pakistan Planning
and Management Institute (PPMI). The event brought together
diplomats, government representatives, retired armed forces
officers and students from across the country and individuals from
public and private entities.
Ahsan Iqbal said new internal security policy framework is
directed towards establishing a new paradigm for policy on
security and peace and added a more empirical and evidence based
approach focused on implementation of the goals should have been adopted.
“We have steered the country towards progress by enabling peace.
We have to take practical steps now to consolidate the gains made and
improve our capabilities for new and future threats to our peace
and security,” he said.
The Minister said political stability plays vital role for
development, which requires avoiding conflicts in all forms and
manifestations. National Security has become a broad subject with
social, political and economic dimensions gaining importance, he added.
“We have to believe ourselves now and this will be the way we
can move. We have brilliant minds who make good policies but our only
and only problem is implementation which we need to address. We
must develop a comprehensive approach with the ownership of
all stakeholders to succeed in implementation,” he said.
Ahsan Iqbal said nature of threats is changing with
technological revolution. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)
has changed Geo-Political equilibrium in the region due to which
new Geo-Political pressures are developing on Pakistan.
He also stressed that youth in Pakistan constitutes a major
part of the population and is an asset for the country. It is our
priority to mobilize our youth towards peace and stability by
providing them with enabling environment.
With regard to National Internal Security Policy 2018-2023, the Minister said
ownership and participation of the key government departments as well as that
of the key state institutions and broader civil society is critical for its success and
implementation.
Moreover, he said that basic tenets of the policy encapsulates
the four key areas to improve peace and security viz: creating a
shared vision, establishing rule of law, ensuring political stability
and providing social justice.
Ahsan Iqbal said CPEC has provided Pakistan record opportunities
which we need to take full advantage.
He said average growth of national economy remained 5.3 per cent
during last year which is expected to touch 6 per cent mark this year while
Pakistan has become the fastest emerging country among comity of the nations.
“The government has managed to reshape course of national economy
as per promise made in 2013 which is evident from the fact that
the international rating agencies are now acknowledging Pakistan
as one of the few emerging economies, who were earlier
describing it a sinking economy,” he said.
In his address, National Security Advisor, Lt Gen (Retd)
Nasser Khan Janjua said security and economy are very important for
progress and prosperity.
“We are facing a lot of issues. We shall fix everything.
We need political stability to correct all of them including rooting out
terrorism and extremism,” Nasser Janjua said.
He said Pakistan has suffered a lot in war on terror
both in terms of lives lost and damage to economy, but international
community has not looked upon our sacrifices in this war with a
positive attitude.
Nasser Janjua was of the opinion that Pakistan had been
successful in defeating the nefarious designs of the enemy and proof
of that was that militants laid down their arms in sensitive
parts of the country.