THE new government has been sworn in and, as expected, has made the revival of the economy its top priority. Everything is set for the continuity of policies formulated during the PDM coalition government’s rule, even with the change of a few faces brought in to negotiate with international lenders. No change in foreign and internal security policies is expected either, as both had been synchronised with the objective of reviving the economy.
Handling security-related policy affairs in Pakistan is considered a slippery slope, and civilian governments usually avoid intervening, leaving matters in the hands of the establishment. Security is a minefield for civilians, and both the PPP and PML-N have had a bitter experience handling affairs in this area. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari are both more pragmatic individuals and will try their utmost not to intervene in security affairs, which could disturb civil-military relations. There are very few chances that any standing committee of the Lower and Upper Houses will disturb the continuity of security policies. It is true that parliamentary oversight over security affairs is essential to deal with existing challenges and to ensure transparency and accountability in the actions of institutions. However, the existing approach has been evolved keeping the economy in mind, and the establishment will not tolerate any deviation in the execution of the policy formulated.
The existing security framework has been built on the ‘doctrine of strength’, and there is little likelihood of a change in direction. This means that the authorities here will continue to put........