From Traditional Security to Human Security Approach: An Analysis of National Internal Security Policy of Pakistan (2018-2023)

Abstract

studies have always been cohered around rationalist approaches and realist theories. However, after the end of COLD WAR and spread of globalization the borders among states became blurred, threat perception from military attacks somewhat eroded. In 1994 United Nations Development Program (UNDP) introduced the term human security which challenged the monopoly of realism over security studies and debunked the idea that state was the only referent of security and regarded human beings as prior referent of security. The idea of human security was like a “buzz” in academia and policy circles. However, until the last decade, the security policy of Pakistan was still state and military oriented due to historical and geopolitical factors. This tendency towards traditional threats resulted in a scenario where Pakistan was confronted with traditional threats like extremism, terrorism, sectarianism and militancy. These issues were so overwhelming in nature that they started triggering existential threat to the sovereignty of state. These challenges brought all stakeholders on table and Pakistan’s first ever internal security policy was adopted in 2014 and the timeframe adopted for this policy was ended in 2018. The security landscape of country was changed now and demanded a new policy document so in 2018, National Internal Security Policy (NISP
II) was formulated and unanimously adopted. This study aims at analyzing how NISP II has shifted towards the idea of human security to ensure sustainable peace in the society. For this end, this paper firstly develops a conceptual framework to understand the notion of human security. Secondly, it gives an account of security landscape of Pakistan, next this study will analyze how NISP II has addressed human security needs of Pakistani society and would be concluded with some of the pitfalls in the policy as far as human security parameters are concerned.