National Security Issues in

Contemporary Pakistan

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Historical Perspective of
Pakistan’s Security

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 What is National Security
• Modern concepts of national security arose in the 17th century during the
Thirty Years War in Europe and the Civil War in England. In 1648, the
Peace of Westphalia established the idea that the nation-state had
sovereign control not only of domestic affairs such as religion, but also of
external security.
Types of National Security:
• Economic Security
• Energy Security
• Environmental Security
• Health Security
• Food Security
• Geographical Security 3
 Background
• There has been a general debate among the scholars of international
relations for the last two decades that the defense and foreign policies
of the “small” and “weak” states do contribute in shaping regional and
international politics.

• However, during the 19th century, the international system was Europe
centric then Europe-North American centric international system and
afterwards it was dominated by two super powers in the post-world war
II and finally by the United States after the fall of Berlin wall.

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• From 1945 to 1989, the international system was exceedingly controlled
by super powers that the other forces shaping the international system
appeared secondary and dependent.

• Thus, when the state of Pakistan emerged on the map of the world, she
also came under the influence of the great power rivalry at its
embryonic (undeveloped) stage.

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• So in order to fit out in international configuration and also to maintain
her territorial integrity, which was threatened by much larger neighbor,
she joined the western camp in the 1950’s.

• Thus, before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the behavior and
policies of small states were studied from the view point of great
powers policies and due consideration was not given to the policies of
small states.

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• However, hierarchical (arranged in order of rank) pattern of the
international system with two super powers at its apex(peak) and
pulling the strings of international politics could not sustain itself over
a long period of time due to certain factors.

• Besides, the process of globalization gave further impetus (inspiration)

to the rise of small powers and non-state actors that played more active
role in contributing towards transformation of international politics.

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• And finally the end of ideological confrontation ensued (result) by less
interference of great powers in the domestic affairs of other regions.

• This transformation contributed to multipolarity or what was

sometimes described as bi-multipolarity, in the international system.
Hence, due to these changes there was gradual shift in the focus of
study in international relations.

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 Geo Strategic Environment
The geo-strategic environment has caused serious concerns for the
newly found state of Pakistan once it was born in 1947 as it is located
in the region known as the Fulcrum of Asia. A region where India,
Pakistan, China and Soviet Union come across each other and The
politics of this region is characterized as :
1. Several discontinuities
2. Dynastic politics
3. Military coups
4. Intra-regional conflicts based on diversify ideology
5. competing national objectives,
6. Territorial disputes and political rivalries
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 Super Power Influence In This Region
Moreover, super powers also maintain their influence overtly or covertly
in this region. Thus, while formulating security policy, Pakistan has to
take into consideration vulnerable geo- strategic atmosphere, intra-
regional rivalries and as well as the policies of great powers in the
region.

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 Hostile Strategic Environment From Its
Neighbors:
When Pakistan was carved out of the British sub-continent in 1947, she
faced hostile strategic environment from its neighbors especially from
India and Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s relations with India were full of mutual mistrust and hostility
because of various factors. The reasons were Pre-partition antagonism
(rivalry ,hostility ) between two communities residing(staying) in British
India especially after the battle of independence when the rule of
Mughal Empire ended.

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The communal (between differen communities, especially those having
different religions or ethnic origins.) crisis was further fueled by
annulment of the partition of Bengal, and Betrayal( violation of trust and
contract) of Gandhi in the caliphate movement, Urdu-Hindi controversy,
Hindu nationalism, Nehru Report, and tyrannical(unjustly cruel, harsh)
rule of congress ministers.

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 Geo Strategic Environment
Furthermore, during the last phase of Pakistan movement there was
mutual enmity( hostility, antagonism) between leaders of Muslim
League and Congress and unjust border award.

In addition, immediately after partition the relations were further sored

because influx of refugees, communal riots ( massacre )especially in
Punjab, the problem of minorities, distribution of financial and military
resources, the water crisis, and territorial disputes especially on
Kashmir. All above narrated events shaped the perception of masses
and ruling elite.

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Thus at its nascent(initial) stage, it was generally believed in Pakistan
that India did not want to amicably (goodwill)solve issues between the
two countries and wanted to strangulate her and especially India posed
existential security threat to territorial integrity of Pakistan.

Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan have not been cordial(friendly)

since her inception (beginning, start,). When the Afghan government
realized that the British government was going to withdraw from sub-
continent they laid their claims over some territories in N.WF.P and
some parts of Baluchistan.

However, these claims were never apparently pronounced by the Afghan

government. When independent state of Pakistan was created
Afghanistan refused to recognize her in the United Nations.
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In addition, India backed Afghanistan over their claims and this caused
tension in the security circle of Pakistan. The Pakistani ruling elite had
apprehensions (worry) that a two front war could be simultaneously
initiated by her neighbors. Secondly, Pakistan lacked territorial depth;
and its main communication lines run parallel to Indo-Pak border.

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Thus, a number of major cities of Pakistan were so close to border that
the Indian troops had to be confronted(fight) at the border.

This required highly proficient(skilled), well equipped and hard hitting

army which Pakistan lacked at Its formative phase. This
intensified(increase) Pakistan’s feeling of insecurity vis-à- vis (relating
to) its neighbors.

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 Formative phase objective Of security Policy
• The vulnerable geo-strategic environment and the security concerns
established in the initial phase of independence shaped Pakistan’s
worldview. It was characterized by a deep sense of insecurity inspired
by external threats to its independent existence.

• The main goal of Pakistan’s initial security policy was search for
external security to maintain its territorial integrity from her hostile
neighbors in fragile(weak) security environment.

• This objective could be realistically achieved in two ways:

• First, by strengthening its security against external threats primarily
from India and secondarily from Afghanistan.
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• For that reason Pakistani military began its modernization process in
various aspects. While the first phase of modernization was going on
when she got involved in the first Kashmir war (1947-48) with India
that gave further impetus(motivatin) to reorganize and modernize its
military in order to meet short term and long term security
challenges.

• Secondly, for the training of troops, Pakistan established new training

centers encompassing the military academy at Kakul that
substituted(replace, exchange) the institutions that were lost to India
at the time of independence

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• A number of selected officers were sent to the United States, the
United Kingdom and other developed countries for special training.
After Pakistan joined the western security camp against
communism, US military advisers came in Pakistan to provide
necessary training and technical advice to Pakistani officers

• Thirdly, modernization process involves the acquisition of arms and

ammunitions in necessary quantity and quality and in this field
Pakistan was handicapped as it did not inherit a single ordnance
factory and most of its share of arms and ammunitions were
withheld by India after the outbreak of the Kashmir war

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• Thus, Pakistan started to build an ordinance factory on emergency
basis and by the end of 1951; the first ordinance factory was
inaugurated at Wah. Pakistan also purchased arms, aircrafts, and naval
ships from the developed countries especially from the United States
and Britain.

• Some of the military pertinent equipment was bought on cash while

other on loan though most of the equipment was obtained through
western sponsored aid. However, at later on stages, Pakistan
diversified its sources of arms supply and purchased arms from
France, West Germany and China.

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• The desire to augment security was one of the major reasons that
Pakistan allied with the west and joined western security
arrangements in 1954-1955.

• Although economic conditions also forced Pakistan to enter into

defense pact with the United States because at its embryonic stage
Pakistan was facing economic crisis especially grain shortage and
US showed willingness and later provided economic aid to Pakistan.

• This goodwill gesture on the behalf American administration

facilitated Pakistan’s entrance into security accords. Thus, Pakistan
and the United States signed the Mutual Defense Assistance Treaty in
May 1954 and under this agreement the US.
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• US agreed to provide weapons and training to Pakistani troops. This
mutual defense pact was ensued(follow, began,) by the creation of
the South Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) in September 1954.
Through Mutual Defense Agreement, the CENTO and SEATO,
Pakistan gained over $900 million worth of military equipment.

• The United States and Pakistan signed these defense pacts keeping
in mind different objectives. The US longed for containing the
Soviet Union and China from sponsoring communism; while
ambition of Pakistani leadership was to counter balance Indian
superiority by attaining military and economic assistance from the
US.

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• The cordial relations between the US and Pakistan in early 1950s
and 1960s proved very helpful for Pakistani military establishment
because military cooperation between them enabled Pakistani forces
to overcome many of its deficiencies.

• This relationship gave further boost to the modernization of military

and effectiveness of the Air Force and the Navy improved by
gaining valuable experience by participation in the CENTO’s joint
exercises.

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• However, the over-all balance power in South Asia still remained in
favor of India though Pakistan gained much needed confidence and
Pakistani ruling elite began to believe that they could now withstand
against India military and diplomatic pressures.

• The US aid augmented the position of military in the domestic

political system of Pakistan as it was receiving the US aid besides
many of the internal resources were in the hands of military that
enabled military to develop itself which made it the most modernized
segment of society characterized by cohesion, hierarchy, discipline,
and spirit de corps.

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• These security pacts were not only one sided affairs, the US also
gained some advantages from this alliance system. It received
support from the second largest non-communist Asian state.

• The US benefitted from communication, intelligence gathering

facilities and other security related services in Pakistan. These were
useful for American global strategy of containment against the Soviet
Union.

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Modifications In The Security Strategies:
The main objective of Pakistan security policy, i.e., the acquisition of
security against external threats did not alter but the strategies to attain
those goals changed with the passage of time because of change in the
international as well regional politics in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Three major events provoked the security planners to revise their

defense strategies. These were the supply of arms to India by the west
after the Sino-Indian border dispute, the September 1965 war between
India and Pakistan and the establishment of Bangladesh in December
1971.

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• Moreover, there was obvious shift in Indian defense policy and
more resources were allocated for security purposes. Thus the
Indian defense expenditure increased during 1963-1972.

• India also initiated its five years defense plan to modernize its
forces. Part of the defense plan was financed from internal
resources whereas most of it financed by the West and the Soviet
Union.

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• Thus, she modestly revised her foreign and security policies in order
to effectively deal with growing military disparities in the South
Asia.

• Pakistan started to down play the security arrangements with the

West and started to look towards other international players for
military and economic assistance even in the socialist camp.

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• When the war was going on, the US imposed arms embargo on India
and Pakistan. This decision of American administration to cut the
supply of arms to Pakistan seriously undermined its ability to fight
against the Indian army because most of its defense procurements
were primarily American oriented.

• One Pakistani author stated that the American arms embargo had
serious repercussions on Pakistan’s defense capability and was one of
the factors which led towards the dismemberment of East Pakistan in
1971.

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• However, after the 1965 war, the US partially uplifted arms embargo
in 1966 and allowed the sale of non-lethal weapons. One year later,
the arms ban was further eased and it was allowed to purchase spare
parts of that military equipment supplied in the past.

• But no new combat equipment was allowed to be sold to either

country. However during the Nixon era, on one special occasion in
1971, Pakistan was allowed to purchase lethal weapons but as soon
as the civil war broke in the East Pakistan all kinds of arms supply
was again banned.

• It was in 1975 that arms embargo was uplifted and South Asian states
were allowed to purchase lethal weapons on ‘cash and carry’ basis.
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 Fall Of Dhaka And Security Of Pakistan
Pakistan’s military debacle in East Pakistan and the creation of
Bangladesh with India’s active support confirmed India’s military and
political preponderance in South Asia. India’s desire to become regional
hegemon and to change power dynamics in its on favor emerged out
after 1971 war.

Therefore, India continued to pursue its military modernization program

and acquired all categories of weapons from various sources as well as
developing indigenous defense production base. By the early eighties,
India had one of the strongest defense and defense-oriented industrial
base in the Third World.

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With the fall of Dhaka, the previous responsibility of security of the
East Pakistan was no longer there, even then the over-all security
condition aggravated in multifarious aspects because now India could
easily send more troops from East Pakistani border to the borders of the
West Pakistan as initially there were cordial relations between
Bangladesh and India.

Moreover, India decided to detonate nuclear device in May 1974,

described as Peaceful Nuclear Explosion by the Indian government had
severe ramifications for South Asia. India’s entry into ‘nuclear club’
transformed the dynamics of power politics and regional security
patterns in South Asia because now India would be in position to hover
its nuclear sword over other non-nuclear South Asian states and to
strangulate their policy options.
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 Pakistan Adopted Two Strategies After Fall Of
Dahka
Thus Pakistan reacted to this changing vulnerable geo-strategic
environment in South Asia by adopting a two pronged strategy in the
post 1971 period. The first strategy was to settle issues related to 1971
war with India in amicable manner.

The issues were return of prisoners of war (PWOs), acquisition of

territory that was lost to India on the Western front, and the
rehabilitation of war affected areas and people. In the aftermath of
India’s nuclear explosion, more funds were allocated to Pakistan
Atomic Energy Commission to expand one’s own peaceful nuclear
program.
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In order to resolve these outstanding issues a diplomatic process began
in 1972 at Simla where prime ministers of the both countries met and
signed accord known as the Simla pact. Besides, these diplomatic
overtures, Pakistan took several steps to augment its defense structure
so that it could not let India to become regional hegemon to squeeze
policy options of Pakistan.

To deter Indian military superiority, Pakistan continued to improve the

training quality of its forces, strengthened her force structure by fresh
recruitments and increased its defense expenditure in order to purchase
more sophisticated weapons from abroad. As far as the additional
worry pertinent to India’s nuclear threat was concerned, Pakistan
pursued three pronged strategy.
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However, Pakistan made its intentions clear that she did not want to
build nuclear bomb even then its peaceful nuclear program was
rejected by India and the international community. Nevertheless, there
were reports that Pakistan was trying to acquire reprocessing plant in
bits and pieces from the Europe and North America.

Secondly, Pakistan sought international guarantee from the United

Nations that no nuclear weapon states would use nuclear weapons
against non-nuclear weapon states. So that non-nuclear weapon states
could live in peace without acquisition of nuclear weapons.

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Thank You

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Any Question ?

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