Defence experts on Monday demanded the security establishment broaden its definition of security by taking into account the security of citizens. They also cautioned against what they called a “double game” with various stakeholders, saying the military’s penetration into country’s political and economic affairs should end and it should focus more on defending the country against worsening internal and external threats.
This was stated by speakers at a seminar, Rethinking national security: lapses, threats and strategies, organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). Those who spoke included Imtiaz Gul, chairman of the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Analyst and Professor Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy of Quaid-e-Azam University and LUMS, Air Marshal (r) Ayaz Ahmed Khan and Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum, former chairman of the Pakistan Ordinance Factory and Pakistan Steel Mills.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Q Suleri moderated the proceedings. He said economic dependence of the country had been at the centre of state policies so far and time had come for the nation to think beyond this persistent dependence. Suleri said there were various levels of security, but the Abbottabad incident had generated a debate which mainly evolved around physical security and defence, while the real security was human security and human development, which had been neglected in the country altogether. He said the defence budget was three times more than the Public Sector Development Programme.
He lamented the “double game” of the establishment, including that of General (r) Pervez Musharraf, with the people and the world, saying perhaps “Pakistan is using Osama as a bargain chip for some economic gains to deal with the economic dependence”. Imtiaz Gul said it was difficult for the military establishment to abandon the obsession of geo-strategic relevance, which had bled the country and led the nation to an irreparable and dangerous situation. “The security apparatus is currently under-attack and can this security apparatus, which is busy in running the affairs of country, rethink the national security?” “Pre-dominance of national security forces into country’s affairs has eroded the transparency and accountability culture,” he said.
He said, “The real enemy is within, the supporters of the Taliban and al Qaeda, it is a school of thought which believes that you can kill anybody who disagrees with you.” Dr Hoodbhoy urged the security establishment to end its double game of good and bad militants. He lamented the sharp decrease of professionalism in the army due to its deep penetration into economic affairs. He said that it was a shocking lack of competence if Osama was hiding in Abbottabad, adding that it was deplorable that the military was consuming massive resources of the country but had failed to defend it when needed.Air Marshal (r) Ayaz said the threat was within, as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al Qaeda had declared a war against Pakistan and the US. He clarified that one had to understand the difficult terrain and use of radar-evading helicopters and highly-sophisticated technology used by the Americans. “If America does any mischief, including attacking our nuclear installations, the armed forces of Pakistan will have no answer,” he added. Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qayyum said although mistakes had been committed by Pakistani rulers, it were American policies and attitude towards Muslims that created militancy and fanaticism in the society in Pakistan.
