The terrorist attack on PNS Mehran, coming soon after an embarrassing intelligence cum security failure in Abbottabad, has once again underscored the point that institutions lacking independent oversight tend to fall victim to sloth and develop serious vulnerabilities. Actually the 2009 attack on the GHQ should have opened the administration’s eyes to the fact. The way terrorists continue to penetrate what are supposed to be highly guarded installations has made the common man feel insecure. On Tuesday, Mian Nawaz Sharif accused the government of being oblivious to dangers facing Pakistan. Foreign missions inside Pakistan are also feeling insecure while Nato Chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has expressed concerns about the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
The DCC meetings are generally held whenever a serious security related incident takes place. They are helpful as they allow top government and military leadership to exchange views and coordinate public stands on important issue. The DCC however suffers from a serious limitation. The top leadership has little time at their disposal to discuss the issues of grave national import threadbare.
What is needed are well-informed and active bipartisan parliamentary committees to regularly review and update the security and defence doctrines. The three existing committees on defence and security have little backup support while they also lack vitality. The committees should be provided enough resources and staff to collect and collate information and undertake research. The committees should hold more meetings than they have been doing and call the concerned civil and military personnel for regular hearings. Besides helping the parliament formulate more realistic policies, they should also exercise oversight over the working of the intelligence and defence bodies. A parliamentary ownership of the security and defence policies will provide them greater public support while assure the world about the security of the country’s assets.
