Pakistan's first security dialogue inaugurated by PM Imran Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated Pakistan's first security dialogue in Islamabad today (Wednesday).

In his inaugural address, the premier spoke about the challenges of food security in Pakistan and stressed that this challenge will be given the most importance now.

"Security of the common citizen is one of the most important issues," he said.

He talked about the concept of national security and said it needs to be more comprehensive.

Earlier, there was a concept that national security is just about defence. But this is not true, the premier emphasised. He clarified that it is about the security of a citizen.

"Climate change, food Security and economic vulnerability are some of the most challenging impediments to overcoming insecurity across Pakistan," he said.

Praising China, the premier said China has brought out 700 million people from the poverty line. "We have to follow the Chinese model to eradicate poverty from our state," he said.

Economic growth through connectivity requires regional peace, he said.

"Without regional peace and improved trade ties with neighbouring countries, Pakistan cannot capitalise on its geostrategic location," the premier said, adding that peace in Afghanistan will change the entire outlook of South Asia and Central Asia.

Pakistan is a working towards an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue, he said.

What will happen at Pakistan's first security dialogue?

The Islamabad Security Dialogue aims to define the country's new strategic direction in line with the premier's vision of peace, regional connectivity and development partnerships with the world.

 COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa will give a keynote address tomorrow.

The two-day summit has been organised by the National Security Division in collaboration with its advisory board, comprising five leading think tanks of the country.

The think tanks are: Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies, Islamabad Policy Research Institute, Institute of Strategic Studies, Institute of Regional Studies and National Defence University's Institute of Strategic Studies, Research and Analysis.

Top scholars and diplomats are participating in the summit. The live stream of the summit can be watched here.

At the event, the Prime Minister will also launch the first of its kind advisory portal of the National Security Division. This portal will be an integrated platform through which major think tanks and universities working on the subject of national security will be able to share policy recommendations directly with the national leadership.