Pakistan’s National Security Policy (NSP)

Pakistan launched its first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) on January 14, 2022.

Highlights

• With this launch, Pakistan makes it imperative to deter war and defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty by using all elements of national power, at all costs.
• The NSP 2022-26 has been framed after seven years of rigorous analysis and diligent, with references to India.
• National Security Division led the consultations to frame the policy.

Public version of the NSP

• The 110-page NSP document will remain classified. But a shorter, about 50-page version of NSP is being published. The shorter version will provide an insight into overall vision and direction of Pakistan’s national security.
• Section V of the NSP provides an insight into traditional concept of security and efforts made by policymakers for dealing with various threats.
• NSP guidelines mandates to deter war by all elements of national power, while exercising “right to self-defence”, in case war is imposed.
• It asks to deter any aggression by maintaining a cost-effective and adaptive military, which is focused on modernisation and optimisation of force structures.

Guiding principle of the NSP

The guiding principle of NSP reads as “Ensure the defence and territorial integrity of Pakistan in all their manifestations.”

Objective of the policy

The cardinal objective of the policy is to “defend Pakistan’s territorial integrity at all costs”. The policy provides that, it is possible by having conventional capability and full-spectrum deterrence.

Reference to India

In reference to India, policy says that; prospects of violent conflict have grown over time, ‘with a regressive and dangerous ideology which is gripping the collective conscience in immediate neighbourhood. NSP warns that Pakistan is committed towards defending its territorial integrity against any military misadventure.

NSP on nuclear capability

According to NSP, nuclear deterrence occupies a critical role in security calculus of South Asia.

Hybrid Warfare

As per policy, hybrid warfare is an evolving concept having expanding and blurring boundaries. In Pakistan, hybrid threats originate from states & their proxies and from non-state actors.

Month: Current Affairs - January, 2022

Category: International / World Current Affairs