‘Need to address internal security challenges’

Islamabad:Prominent media personality Azaz Syed has emphasised the need for addressing internal security challenges of Pakistan.

Mr Azaz was addressing a seminar on ‘Assessment of renewed security challenges to CPEC post-Indo-Pak escalation’ hosted here by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS). Mr Azaz stressed the necessity of addressing genuine grievances prevalent in the local population, alongside combating foreign interference.

Naghmana Hashmi, Pakistan’s former envoy to China, linked increased terrorism with broader geopolitical tensions, particularly western apprehensions towards China’s rise. Analysing how recent Indo-Pak escalations dispelled myths surrounding India's military dominance, prompting western powers to reconsider their strategic reliance on India, she urged comprehensive internal reforms, particularly addressing socio-economic grievances in Baluchistan.

Maj Gen (r) Samrez Salik, with a Ph.D on CPEC, emphasised Pakistan's critical transformation from a security-centric to an economic-driven state, dependent significantly on CPEC’s success. He advocated a strategic regional alliance comprising Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to stabilise the region. Internally, he called for robust reforms to address terrorism, corruption, political instability and bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Dr Muhammad Raza focused on the integration of socio-economic dimensions within financial regulatory frameworks. He stressed on the need for stimulating local economies by imitating successful community banking models. He also highlighted CPEC’s crucial role in societal advancement and advocated strengthening Pakistan’s border control and security infrastructure through regional collaboration, particularly with China and Turkey.

Shakeel Ahmed Ramay, CEO, AEIRD, stressed the critical need to analyse geopolitical dynamics through narrative channels, rather than traditional media. He also criticised external interference in Pakistan’s economic negotiations.

The participants advocated for strategic regional alliances, robust internal reforms, economic resilience, advanced security infrastructure and proactive diplomatic engagements to overcome current and emerging challenges to CPEC.

Jauhar Saleem, president, Institute of Regional Studies, in his concluding remarks, emphasised that alongside the kinetic challenges faced by CPEC project, we must also address the economic issues such as the need for CPEC to deliver on local development and creation of jobs on a much wider scale. Underlining the need for building institutional capability, bureaucratic efficiency and service delivery capacity, he noted that CPEC benefits have to reach the grassroots level to help alleviate security challenges.

The mega connectivity project needs to be approached as a technology-driven initiative so to have the desired impact on Pakistan’s economic development and quest for regional economic integration and a force multiplier for promoting peace and stability, he added.