–Minister stresses empirical approach for better implementation of policies
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that new internal security policy is directed towards establishing a new paradigm on security and peace, saying there is a need to adopt an evidence-based approach for the implementation of goals.
Addressing a national conference on ‘Internal Security: Peace and Sustainable Development’ organised at Pakistan Planning and Management Institute (PPMI), the minister said: “We have to believe ourselves now, this will be the way to move forward. We have brilliant minds who make good policies but our one and only problem is ‘implementation’. We badly need to address this issue. We must develop a comprehensive approach to the ownership of all stakeholders so that we may succeed in implementation.”
Diplomats, government representatives, retired armed forces officers, students from across the country and individuals from both public and private institutions participated in the event.
He said that the roadmap for the formation of a National Internal Security Policy (NISP) is centred on goals defined in vision 2025 which envisage sharing peace, stability and development; the key to progress.
“We have steered the country towards progress by enabling peace. Now, we have to take practical steps to consolidate the gains made and improve our capabilities for new and future threats to our peace and security,” he stated.
The interior minister further stated that political stability plays a vital role in 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 observed.
Ahsan Iqbal said that the nature of threats is changing with the fifth revolution I-e. the technological revolution. “The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has changed the geopolitical equilibrium in the region due to which new geopolitical pressures are developing on Pakistan,” he stated.
He also stressed that Pakistani youth constitutes a major part of the population and is an asset for the country and it is our priority to mobilise our youth with peace and stability by providing them with an enabling environment.
In regard to the National Internal Security Policy 2018-2023, the interior minister said that ownership and participation of the key government departments, as well as, 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 encapsulate 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 concluded by observing that CPEC has provided Pakistan record opportunities which we need to take advantage of.