BEIJING, Dec 28 (APP): Pakistan’s firs-ever National Security Policy (NSP) document comprehensively considers citizen, economic and military security. Therefore, it is a historic event, which will have a positive and important impact on safeguarding Pakistan’s long-term national security and development interests.
These views were expressed by Cheng Xizhong, visiting professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law and former Defense Attache in South Asian countries in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
The National Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday approved Pakistan’s first-ever NSP 2022-2026.
Prof Cheng said that the first prominent feature of the NSP is citizen security. The NSP puts the citizen security in a prominent position, which embodies the idea of governing for the people.
Prime Minister Imran Khan emphasized that the security of Pakistan rested in the security of its citizens, including food security, health security, environmental security, etcetera.
He said the second prominent feature of the NSP is economic security. The citizen and economic security complement each other, and economic security is the guarantee of citizen security.
To ensure the citizen-centric approach to security, the NSP puts economic security at the core.
Prof Cheng said, the third notable feature is the relationship between economic security and military security. A stronger economy would create additional resources that would in turn be judiciously distributed to further bolster military security.
He emphasized that it is a completely correct decision to put economic security at the core of the national security policy this time.
Only by accelerating economic development to create additional resources can the interests of all parties be guaranteed in distribution.
Development is of over-riding importance, and all problems will be solved in the process of economic development, he opined.