Pakistan faces serious external policy, national security challenges
Oct 26, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], October 26 : Pakistan is facing serious external policy and national security challenges with the fast-changing regional geopolitics but there seems to be no realisation in the government about the seriousness of the situation, a media report said.
The country is marred with various issues as the government and military are not on the same page on numerous matters. The Afghan crisis has also generated important economic and security spillovers into Pakistan, fueling a surge in Afghan refugees.
Crime and militancy are also on the rise in Pakistan. After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, there is speculation that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, operating from the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, have entered Pakistan disguised as refugees, Fabien Baussart wrote in an opinion piece for The Times of Israel.
Pakistan's economy faces twin deficits -- fiscal and current account. COVID-19 has dealt another challenge as Pakistan struggles to revive its economy. With the suspension of program loans from the World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan is at risk of a monumental economic crisis. The WB and ADB will continue lending project loans but keeping in view the capacity to implement projects, the disbursement becomes dismally low, Baussart added.
The civil and military leadership are also not seen to be on the same page in the handling of critical foreign and security matters, according to political observers.
How to deal with the TTP has now become a contentious issue with Imran Khan appearing too eager to reconcile with the outlawed militant group that is responsible for the death of thousands of Pakistanis, said The Times of Israel.
Further, Baussart wrote that in the face of such daunting challenges, Prime Minister Imran Khan's lectures on morality and Islamic history have become more frequent and persistent. Populist rhetoric has been taken as a substitute for clear policy direction.
He emphasised that as a leader Imran Khan tends to flit from one vague idea to another and to distract the public he resorts to invoking Islamic faith to use as a crutch rather than look for performance and good governance.
Instead of focusing on more pressing problems eg economic downturn and skyrocketing inflation, the government is continuing on a divisive path. Further, the latest standoff over ISI Chief appointment has revealed that as the leader of an unstable coalition administration with a very thin majority, Imran Khan cannot afford to take on the military establishment, according to The Times of Israel.
