Pakistan launches first-ever National Security Policy; this is what it says about India

Pakistan, in its first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) launched on Friday by Prime Minister Imran Khan, makes it crucial for itself to discourage warfare and defend the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty at “all costs” through the use of all components of nationwide energy.

The NSP 2022-26, with references to India, has been framed after seven years of diligent and rigorous evaluation and consultations led by the National Security Division.The full 110-page NSP doc will stay categorized. However, a shorter, practically 50-page model is being revealed.READ: IED smuggled from Pakistan present in Punjab village shut to frame: PoliceThe public model, seen by PTI, is supposed to offer an perception into the general imaginative and prescient and path of the nation’s nationwide safety.Section V of the coverage supplies an perception into the normal idea of safety and efforts by policymakers to take care of numerous threats.Its guideline reads: “Ensure the defence and territorial integrity of Pakistan in all their manifestations.” Pakistan PM Imran Khan signing the National Security Policy (NSP) on Friday | Twitter @YusufMoeedAfter highlighting numerous challenges to safety, the NSP in its main coverage guideline says: “Deter war through all elements of national power, while exercising our right to self-defence if war is imposed.”The cardinal coverage goal, in keeping with the NSP, is to “defend Pakistan’s territorial integrity at all costs” and provides that it was solely attainable by having the traditional functionality and full-spectrum deterrence.”Deter any aggression by maintaining a cost-effective and adaptive military focused on modernisation and optimisation of force structures to ensure adequate conventional capability and maintain full spectrum deterrence within the precincts of credible minimum nuclear deterrence, without getting involved in an arms race,” it mentioned.In an obvious reference to India, it says that “with a regressive and dangerous ideology gripping the collective conscience in our immediate neighbourhood, the prospects of violent conflict have grown immensely.””The possibility of use of force by the adversary as a deliberate policy choice cannot be ruled out,” it provides.READ: Pakistan PM Imran Khan says his govt’s relationship with navy ‘distinctive’The coverage warns that Pakistan is dedicated to defending its territorial integrity in response to any navy misadventure.”Requisite conventional capabilities will be ensured through astute investment in constant modernisation of our armed forces without embroiling in any arms race,” it mentioned.”In addition, indigenisation of defence production, increased capabilities in network centricity, battlefield awareness, electronic warfare capabilities, and other force multipliers will be prioritised,” the coverage says.The NSP says the nuclear deterrence occupies a vital function within the safety calculus of South Asia. “Pakistan’s nuclear capability deters war through full spectrum deterrence within the precincts of credible minimum nuclear deterrence in concert with our conventional military capabilities and all elements of national power,” it mentioned.The coverage says the growth of India’s nuclear triad, open-ended statements on nuclear coverage, and investments in and introduction of destabilising applied sciences disturb the strategic stability within the area and Pakistan’s deterrence regime is important for and aimed toward regional peace.The coverage says that hybrid warfare is an evolving idea with increasing and blurring boundaries and hybrid threats towards Pakistan originate from states and their proxies in addition to from non-state actors.”Pakistan will adopt a holistic, interconnected whole-of-nation approach to neutralise attempts to undermine Pakistan’s security and stability through hybrid warfare,” it notes.It says the safety of land, air, and sea borders together with area and cyber domains is paramount.READ: 46 Twitter handles from Pakistan shared doctored video of PM Modi’s Cabinet meet”Special attention is required to manage lingering border disputes which continue to pose security threats, particularly along the Line of Control and Working Boundary where ceasefire violations by India threaten civilian lives and property while endangering regional stability,” it claims.Pakistan ought to strengthen and improve space-based know-how and its software to satisfy future challenges to fight disinformation and affect operations whereas enhancing info and cyber safety, knowledge safety, and surveillance capability, it mentioned.The coverage notes that the Indian Ocean is quick changing into an area for contestation and the self-professed function of anyone nation as a so-called net-security supplier within the wider Indian Ocean would have an effect on the area’s safety and financial pursuits negatively.”This requires a renewed focus on strengthening Pakistan’s capabilities to meet emerging challenges. Protection of our Exclusive Economic Zone, ensuring freedom of navigation, and protection against piracy will remain critically important,” it says. Highlighting the significance of the knowledge age, it mentioned the safety and surveillance of communications and our on-line world are essential facets of defence.”With information and cyber warfare posing a new dimension to our security challenges, instituting robust mechanisms to protect cyberspace from malicious use are essential tools for our security,” it says.According to its Executive Summary, the National Security Policy 2022-2026 is Pakistan’s first nationwide safety coverage doc, searching for to co-locate the nation in rising world developments and identifies coverage targets and precedence areas the place Islamabad ought to make investments its nationwide assets to make sure probably the most helpful outcomes.”The Policy articulates a citizen-centric ‘Comprehensive National Security’ framework for Pakistan whose ultimate purpose is to ensure the safety, security, dignity, and prosperity of people. It recognises both traditional and non-traditional security aspects that impinge on national security,” it says.Major alternatives and challenges, in addition to coverage targets for every important facet of nationwide safety, are described briefly.Specific particulars and analyses of the safety panorama, the nation’s very important nationwide safety pursuits, precedence actions, and implementation framework haven’t been included within the doc.