Message by the Prime Minister of Pakistan
Bold visions and big ideas lie at the heart of human progress and prosperity. Policies that encapsulate these contribute towards galvanising national sentiments in line with the vision and goals a nation sets for itself. Pakistan’s first comprehensive National Security Policy is an important milestone in this respect. The National Security Policy 2022-2026 centres on my government’s vision, which believes that the security of Pakistan rests in the security of its citizens. This citizen-centric approach to national security prioritises national cohesion and the prosperity of people, while guaranteeing fundamental rights and social justice without discrimination. Realising the symbiotic relationship between economic, human, and traditional security is now imperative for Pakistan’s long-term development. Domestic stability and regional peace based on mutual co-existence, regional connectivity, and shared prosperity are essential prerequisites to optimising national security. Moreover, to achieve the vast potential of our citizens, it is necessary to promote delivery-based good governance through strengthening of institutions, rule of law, transparency, accountability, and openness. This National Security Policy contains our boldly defined and clearly articulated goals as a self-respecting, sovereign, and inclusive state. I am confident that effective implementation of this Policy will contribute immensely to our country’s economic security, human welfare on the lines of Riasat e-Medina, and a stronger defence capability.
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Message by the National Security adviser
Pakistan’s approach to national security is broad, proactive, and resolute and aims to ensure the security of our most vulnerable citizens. Rather than being set in an archaic guns versus butter debate, our national security thinking seeks to identify means of expanding economic resources such that Pakistan can simultaneously strengthen its traditional and non-traditional security.The most prudent approach is to keep economic security at the core, and judiciously transfer the dividends of a strong economy to further strengthen our defence and human security. This is the vision that the National Security Policy strives to pursue. Cognizant of Pakistan’s complex security requirements, the National Security Policy adopts a directional tone, providing strategic guidance on priority areas for policy action while identifying opportunities for and challenges to our national security in the medium and long term. The Policy conveys a clear and bold vision, emphasizing a geo-economic paradigm that supplements our geo strategic approach, laying down a broad roadmap on how to actualise the chosen path. Like all such guiding documents, the National Security Policy is aspirational in some respects. One of the key focus areas for policymakers must therefore be to bridge the gap between the ambition and reality of attaining comprehensive national security in the shortest possible time period. Ensuring this will be an important benchmark of success of the Policy.As drafters of the first National Security Policy, my team and I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the broader civil and military leadership for their constant support to the effort. Besides the National Security Division, current and former officials from many other parts of the government worked diligently to mature the National Security Policy document over the years. I wish to recognise each one of them for their contribution.