NSC didn’t meet in a year: Pildat

ISLAMABAD: The annual performance evaluation of the National Security Committee (NSC) conducted by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (Pildat) for the time frame from March 5, 2024, to March 4, 2025, highlights a “disturbing” trend in the country’s governance structure. In its yearly review of NSC performance for 2024-2025, Pildat observed that with zero meeting, the role of NSC significantly declined during the first year of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led government.

The NSC, which was established in 2013 as the primary forum for national security decision-making, did not convene a single meeting during the entire year. The 2024-25 period, therefore, became the first year since the formation of the NSC when the committee did not meet even once.

While the federal cabinet regularly meets, there is no indication either that the Cabinet Committee on Defence which provided such a forum before the creation of NSC, has been re-operationalised.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, during his tenure from 2013-17, convened only eight NSC meetings, while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (during his tenure from August 2017 to May 2018) significantly increased the frequency, averaging nearly 10 meetings per year.

Former premier Imran Khan (2018-22) averaged approximately three NSC meetings annually, whereas Shehbaz Sharif, in his previous tenure from 2022 to 2023, convened an average of five meetings per year.

However, in the past year (2024) of the present PML-N-led coalition government, which took office in March 2024, the NSC did not meet a single time.

Another critical concern is the continued absence of a National Security Adviser (NSA), leaving a strategic vacuum in the country’s security policy framework.

In contrast, countries with established national security mechanisms, such as the United Kingdom, use to ensure regular NSC meetings, often on a weekly basis, to proactively manage security risks.

Unlike the NSC, the federal cabinet meetings were convened relatively more frequently i.e. 42 times from March 4, 2024 to March 3, 2025. However, according to the Federal Government’s Rules of Business, the federal cabinet should have met for minimum 52 times or once a week indicating that the cabinet meetings during the year were about 19 per cent less than the required under the rules. Pakistan’s lack of an institutionalized national security approach weakens democratic oversight and limits the country’s ability to respond effectively to security threats through structured consultations.

The implications of this trend may cast significant and far-reaching impacts on the country’s security and governance.

The neglect of the NSC may lead to lack of coordination and coherence in national security policy deliberations. This, in turn, can exacerbate existing security challenges and create new ones.

Furthermore, the marginalisation of institutions led by an elected prime minister, such as the NSC, can have a corrosive effect on the country’s democratic system as a whole. This, in turn, may lead to decline in civilian oversight and accountability, ultimately undermining the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

In light of these concerns, Pildat has emphasised the urgent need to not only restore but also enhance the NSC’s role as the key institution for national security policy deliberations leading to presentation of choices to the federal cabinet. Pildat has presented the following key recommendations:

1. Mandatory regular meetings: The NSC should be required to convene at least once a month, with this provision incorporated into the Rules of Business to ensure compliance.

2. Strategic civil-military dialogue: The NSC must be actively utilised for discussions on long-term civil-military relations, counter-terrorism policies, and national security strategies.

3. Institutional strengthening: The Planning Committee and Advisory Board of the NSC, which were originally envisaged in the scheme, should be fully formed and activated to provide research-backed assessments and recommendations for security policy.

4. Strategic review: The government should conduct a strategic review of the NSC’s role and functioning, with a view to strengthening its capacity and effectiveness in addressing national security challenges.

If the trend of neglecting the NSC persists, the forum risks becoming obsolete, further diminishing the role of institutions where civil and military leadership can jointly deliberate on security policy-making thus possibly exacerbating the country’s already complex security challenges.

Ultimately, the restoration of the NSC’s role is crucial for addressing the country’s complex security challenges and ensuring the country’s long-term stability and sovereignty. The government must prioritise the NSC’s revitalisation and ensure that it is equipped with the necessary resources and mandate to provide effective guidance on national security matters. The Pildat believes that neglect of the NSC and the rise of non-traditional forums may lead to a lack of coordination and coherence in national security policy-making, which, in turn, can exacerbate existing security challenges and create new ones.