ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Friday said the region’s situation had cast a deep impact on the country’s political, social and economic matters and called for devising effective strategies on national security to address internal and external threats.
Speaking at the certificate distribution ceremony of National Security War Course-19 at the National Defence University (NDU), the president said, in current scenario, the concepts of national security had changed and serious efforts were required to counter the anti-state narrative.
The five-week programme gathered 69 participants including 4 Senators, 10 Members of National Assembly, 11 Members of Provincial Assemblies, 2 members each from legislative assemblies of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, 4 army personnel, and 30 members of civil society.
President Mamnoon said Pakistan had suffered great losses at the hands of militancy and paid tributes to the government and armed forces for rendering immense sacrifices in that regard. He stated the situation in Kashmir, India, Afghanistan, Iran and Middle East had direct impact on Pakistan.
He said swift steps were required for the effective implementation of National Action Plan (NAP).
He said instability in the recent past had caused problems to national security and emphasized on improving the dialogue among different segments of society to find a common solution.
He expressed confidence that the NDU was focusing on preparing the opinion leaders and intelligentsia to work out policies on national security.
He said the media should also play a role in promoting a peace narrative against extremism.
The president called to make improvements in the country’s health, education and human resource sectors and said capacity-building of law enforcement personnel was essential to eradicate militancy.
The president awarded certificates to the participants of the National Security Workshop.
Earlier, acting President NDU Major General Samrez Salik, in his welcome address, briefed the audience about the features of the workshop, which he said provided the participants, representing different segments of society, a platform to discuss security and economic challenges facing the country.
The course participants, including Senator Rubina Khalid and Member Punjab Assembly Sheharyar Malik, gave a presentation titled ‘Exercise Pakistan Zindabad’.
Published in Daily Times, October 14th 2017.
