NSC green lights Pakistan’s ‘first’ National Security Policy

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry announced on Monday that the “country’s first” National Security Policy has been approved by the National Security Committee (NSC).

“National Security Council meeting has approved the country’s first National Security Policy,” tweeted Fawad.

The minister shared that the policy will now be presented before the federal cabinet on Tuesday for final approval.

نیشنل سیکیورٹی کونسل کے اجلاس نے آج ملک کی پہلی نیشنل سیکیورٹی پالیسی کی منظوری دی ہے، یہ پالیسی کل کابینہ کے اجلاس میں پیش کی جائیگی

Advertisement

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) December 27, 2021

Following Fawad’s tweet, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said that the approval was given when Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the 36th meeting of the committee.

Read more: Prime Minister Imran Khan summons NSC meeting today

Sharing details of the meeting, the PMO said that National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf presented the National Security Policy (NSP) 2022-2026 for approval before the NSC.

The NSA, while briefing the participants on the salient features of the policy, highlighted that Pakistan was shifting to a comprehensive national security framework. Under the framework, the “ultimate purpose of national security was to ensure the safety, security and dignity of the citizen of Pakistan”.

“To ensure this citizen-centric approach to security, the NSP put economic security at the core. A stronger economy would create additional resources that would in turn be judiciously distributed to further bolster military and human security,” explained the PMO.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence, Information & Broadcasting, Interior, Finance, Human Rights, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, all Services Chiefs, National Security Advisor and senior civil and military officers.

— Prime Minister's Office, Pakistan (@PakPMO) December 27, 2021

The premier’s office said that the meeting was informed that the policy has been developed “through a whole-of-government effort over the last seven years”. The policy was developed after “extensive consultations among federal government institutions, all provinces, academia and private sector”, it added.

“It was highlighted that a detailed implementation framework had been created through which the National Security Division would review progress in collaboration with relevant ministries and departments,” said the PMO.

PM Imran after seeing the policy “emphasised that the security” of the country “rests in the security of its citizens and reposed confidence that Pakistan is well prepared to meet any internal and external threats”.

“The policy must guide all organs of the government to ensure that their efforts are synchronised with the overall direction of the National Security Policy,” said PM Imran while noting that the approval of the policy was a “historic moment”.

Read more: PM Imran Khan orders ‘establishment of dedicated cell’ on Afghanistan

The premier also directed NSA Yusuf to “present an implementation progress report to the NSC every month”.

The PMO said that the NSC, while approving the policy, also lauded the National Security Division and government departments for their efforts.

“Revitalisation of Planning Committee and expansion of NSC’s Advisory Board was also unanimously approved by participants during the meeting,” said the PMO. A public version of the document will be released in due course, it added.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, Human Rights Minister Sheerin Mazari, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Nadeem Raza, all services chiefs, National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf and senior civil and military officers.