Title: Pakistan says onus on India to restart dialogue process
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National Security Adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf has said that the onus is on India to restart the dialogue process after reversing the wrongs in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), particularly the August 5, 2019 decision, its efforts to change the demographic balance in the occupied territory including the release of political prisoners and lifting of the internet blockade.
Moeed expressed these remarks during an in-camera briefing to members of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence and National Security on Wednesday. The briefing session lasted for two hours which included a detailed interactive question and answer session.
The committee was presided by its chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and the session focused on Pakistan’s role in the changing regional scenario, Pakistan-American relations, Pakistan-India ties, the impact of the evolving situation in Afghanistan following the US military pullout, a statement said.
It said that the committee was informed that a broad-based roadmap is being developed for Pakistan-American relations which included cooperation in commerce and trade, investment including vaccine manufacturing, climate change and military-to-military relations as well as promoting regional economic connectivity. The NSA also briefed the committee on his meeting with his American counterpart in Geneva last month.
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Regarding Afghanistan, the National Security Adviser said that Pakistan’s perspective is very clear in promoting an inclusive political settlement with a view to ensure that Afghan territory is not used against Pakistan and Pakistan to ensure its commitment that its territory will not be used against any country.
"The international community is also being informed about Pakistan’s concerns over the potential fallout of the Afghan crisis particularly in the new influx of refugees," he added,
Referring to Pakistan’s transition to geo-economics, Moeed underlined that the three pillars of this strategic reorientation included regional connectivity, partnership for development and the quest for peace within and peace without.
He also invited input from the committee on defence and national security in the preparation of a comprehensive document pertaining to Pakistan’s national security policy.
In his remarks, according to the statement, Senator Mushahid lauded Moeed's contribution in injecting fresh ideas and new thinking on Pakistan’s national security, particularly on strategic communication and the transition of geo-economics.
He said that the committee would present its own ideas and input as well on the issue of national security so that any policy that is formulated by the government is inclusive, broad-based and representative of all shades of opinion.
He also proposed that lawfare be made an integral component of Pakistan’s approach to national security and he also underlined the need for a comprehensive counter-terror strategy as well as a creative India policy that also has a broader South Asia perspective.
Mushahid said that given the new emerging situation in which national security can no longer be defined in terms of military might alone, the concept of human security must include elements that are crucial for the well-being of the people of Pakistan including health, climate change, population planning, food security and water scarcity, a perspective which Dr Moeed Yusuf fully endorsed.
All the members present participated in a candid discussion on issues of defence and national security and the committee expressed its satisfaction with the informative briefing that was provided by the NSA, the statement added.
The committee also unanimously approved the Maritime Security (Amendment) Bill 2021. The committee also appreciated the role of the Maritime Security Agency at a time that the sea lanes are becoming crucial in national security particularly trade and connectivity and the committee accepted the invitation from the DG Maritime Security Agency to visit the headquarters of the agency in Karachi at a mutually convenient time.
Published Date: 14-Jul-2021
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