NSP nuances

The recent Nation Security Policy (NSP) aims to make Pakistan a soft power. It is heartening to see that our leadership has finally realised that military might will not be enough for the country’s growth. Two interesting aspects of the policy need to be highlighted. One, while Pakistan is looking to branch out its trade to the Middle East, Russia, China, Iran and India, the section on trade makes no mention of the US – in fact the whole document only refers to the US only a few times. It will be interesting to see how the US will see this policy that wants to “broaden our partnership beyond a narrow counter-terrorism focus”. Two, there is great emphasis on improving relations with India. And while the document claims that people have ‘rejected’ India’s unilateral revocation of Articles 370 and 35A, it makes no demands to reverse the decision.

The NSP is clear proof that the government has finally figured out that economic instability, religious extremism and separatist movements are dragging Pakistan down. While no one knows how successful it will prove, the document itself seems a promising step to betterment.

Shahzeb Abbasi

Karachi