ISLAMABAD:Pakistan after seven years effort developed its first-ever comprehensive National Security Policy focused on key areas of economic, human and cyber security.
The experts at a day-long Young Researchers Convention in Islamabad on the Reconstruction of Pakistan’s National Security Roadmap said on Thursday.
According to the press release, the Young Researchers convention was hosted by the Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research (CSCR).
Around 50 experts, young researchers and practitioners from various think tanks, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), policy institutions and universities were invited for discussion on three themes: Regional Connectivity as a Stabilizer of Neighborly Ties, New Dimensions of Security and Climate Action and Sustainable Development Strategies.
The convention was inaugurated by Executive Director of CSCR, Anas Abdullah.
Abdullah stated that the motivation behind the idea of Research Convention was to cater to the brightest young Pakistani thought leaders and chart a direction using their suggestions to find confluence of the economic, climate and social domain with the larger national security paradigm.
Following the inaugural speech, Hassan Akbar from the National Security Division, Ammara Durrani from UNDP and Dr. Ahmed Waqas Waheed from Centre for International Peace and Stability, NUST, gave their remarks before the opening of three working committees on the given themes.
Hassan Akbar discussed the title “Beyond Hackneyed Cliches: Security Policy Making in the 21st Century”.
He stated that even though Pakistan has developed security policies on different themes, it was the first time that Pakistan had developed a comprehensive and inclusive National Security Policy of Pakistan.
Ammara Durrani in her remarks said that Pakistan also needed to focus on the hard science to formulate the policies and responses. She stressed on the importance of women inclusion in the economy and argued that Pakistan policy documents need to be in lined with global and human development.
Dr Ahmed Waqas Waheed discussed the topic “Outmoded Knowledge Production and Security Narratives on Pakistan”.
The panelists of working committee on “Regional Connectivity as the Stabilizer of Neighborly Ties” discussed the importance of effective governance in Pakistan for economic and political sustainability to enhance regional connectivity in the region.
The panelists of working committee on the “Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals” discussed the urgent need to educate the citizens about the phenomena of climate change and challenges that Pakistan was facing in curtailing this threat.
These presentations were also observed by the representatives of various embassies, policy institutions and International governmental organizations.