ISLAMABAD: The federal government is all set to approve National International Security Policy (NISP) before the end of its term, it emerged on Wednesday.
In a meeting of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior, chaired by its convener Rana Shamim Ahmad Khan, Interior minister Ahsan Iqbal informed the that NISP 2018-2023 has been finalised and will be approved soon. It was attended by only a few lawmakers as this was the last committee meeting.
The minister informed the committee that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had formulated a NISP when it came to power in 2013, which expired in 2018. After the expiry, the government has formulated a new policy which will continue till 2023, said the minister, who believes that the government will be able to approve the new policy before the completion of its term.
According to the minister, extensive consultations with parliamentarians, government officials and civil society have been carried out, and after a marathon meeting, the final draft will be approved by the government.
Ahsan further said that three rounds of deliberations and a national conference on internal security were organised and a comprehensive review of literature and security policies of countries were discussed. He added that the country has been facing many challenges like terrorism, extremism and organised crime.
“Therefore, in the policy, the focus will be on such issues so this menace can be eliminated from the society,” the minister added.
He admitted that a few loopholes shall be eliminated which include intra-state coordination deficit, narrow conceptions of security, youth alienation and frustration, narratives of exclusion and frustration, lack of social justice and inequality, foreign linkages and a lack of research.
“Unfortunately, not a single research work has been carried out in universities. Therefore, there is a dire need of reforming our educational curriculum,” said the interior minister while stressing for reforms in religious seminaries.
He also informed the committee that under the policy, a national narrative will be established in which reforms will be made in the curriculum and religious seminaries, and regulations will be made in the mosques. Similarly, the minister said that national heritage will be promoted.
The members of the committee appreciated the NISP and said that since 2013, there is a decline in terrorism in the country and more reforms are essential to get maximum results.
