MANSEHRA: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said that games were played with Kashmir as Parliament was unaware of the National Security Policy.
He said that one person's opinion on the national matters is not enough.
"The National Security Policy was being formulated, but Parliament was unaware about it," he said, while addressing an event, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the public version of the National Security Policy. The full version will remain confidential.
The JUI-F chief said lashed out at the government for green-lighting the security policy "without any consultations".
"Politics is the only path to power," the JUI-F chief said, adding, "The Ulema have to unite for the benefit of the people."
“This is not the first time that the opposition has critised the government over the NSP. In December, there was a ruckus in the Upper House of Parliament, as senators lashed out at the government for not presenting the NSP in the Senate. "What sort of a policy is this that Parliament did not get a chance to debate over? Parliament has not even seen this policy," Senator Sherry Rehman said, chiding the government.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusus said that Pakistan would not compromise on Kashmir at any cost despite the fact the core vision of the new National Security Policy (NSP) was to ensure economic security and stability in the country.
He said that the NSP was unanimous and there should be no politics on it.
In a briefing held at Governor’s House, Dr Moeed Yusuf said the NSP was an umbrella under which different institutions of the country would work. He said NSP would improve the civil-military relations and bridge the gap between them.
Discussing special features of NSP, the national security adviser claimed that the policy was devised in a way that no future government(s) would have problems with this. “In future if the government changes, either there would be no NSP or if there is, that will be this,” he maintained.
Over a question what legal backing the policy had as the opposition had boycotted the December 6 briefing on it, he replied both the cabinet and National Security Committee approved the policy. “I am ready to brief the opposition in detail about the policy but they are refusing,” he said adding despite politicising the policy, the opposition must participate in the process because the more we debate on it, the more it would improve.
Over another question why the draft of the policy was not presented in the National Assembly for open debate, he said NSC was a constitutional forum where the policy was debated. He further said a detailed briefing was already given to the Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence headed by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.
National Security Adviser Dr Moeed admitted that there were issues in implementation of the NSP but hoped that those would be resolved with time if NSP was implemented in its true spirit. He further said that the capacity issues of the institutions in implementing NSP would also be resolved with time.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked to release the entire policy but due to various reasons its public version was released, he said while responding to a question why the complete policy was not revealed in the released document. “No country releases the mother document of its security policy because of its sensitivity as well as strategic importance,” he maintained.
To a question what the major difference was between the new NSP and previous ‘unwritten’ policy, he said the core emphasis of the NSP was to ensure economic security of the country for which every institution had to play its determined role. “NSP has given us a direction,” he said adding now they had to implement it to achieve the goals. He said NSC headed by the prime minister with services chiefs being the members along with the senior ministers of cabinet will review the progress of implementation of the policy on monthly basis.
Over a question of citizen protection, he said the policy fully protects the rights of the citizens. “If the economic security of the country is ensured then the rights of citizens are automatically protected,” he answered. He further said that the policy protected the freedom of expression as well as intellectual freedom of the citizens. Answering a question about the implementation of the new NSP, Dr Moeed said the mechanism was clearly described in the policy. “The policy has determined the priorities of the country and fixed a timeline to achieve those goals,” he maintained. Over a question about ensuring economic security at a time when the country was witnessing worst inflation, IMF’s pressure and other economic issues, he said the purpose of this policy was that in future Pakistan could not go to IMF or any other country for help.
Connectivity is the core emphasis of the NSP, he said adding presently Pakistan was exploring the markets of Central Asia, which were not tapped in the past. He said CPEC was in full swing and will bring economic prosperity in the country.
Answering about a question to ensure economic security amidst Kashmir issue and problems with India, he said we will not compromise on Kashmir at any cost. He said we will explore new venues of trade and economic activity as India was not ready to except us. He added that Pakistan wanted normalized relations with India but this can’t be achieved by Pakistan’s wish only and we can go as far as the neighbor does.
Replying to a question whether Pakistan would put its weight in Chinese camp or in the US camp, he said Pakistan will have good relations with both. “Leaving China is absolutely a no from Pakistan,” he said adding both the China and US were not asking Pakistan to take a side.
Talking about Pak-Afghan relations, he said things have improved a lot if compared with before and after 15 August 2021. “Presently trade issues through Afghanistan are almost resolved and trucks from Pakistan are traveling safely in Afghanistan while the complaints of corruption inside Afghan border are also reduced,” he claimed.
Over a question that the policy may increase the role of armed forces in day to day affairs of the country, Dr Moeed dispelled this impression and said that National Security Division was not an organization of armed forces. He said the role of every organization was described in the policy and the policy will improve coordination among the organizations. He said some people were saying that he brought this policy to please the armed forces and to show his loyalty towards them, which was completely baseless. He said recently COAS has also put his weight behind economic security.
Replying to a question about Afghan refugees in Pakistan, he said Pakistan’s policy over this issue was very clear as we want them to return safely and with dignity to their homeland. To another question that a large number of Afghan nationals have already got Pakistan’s CNIC, he said that was illegal and anyone caught with this will have to face the law of land.