INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

SECURITY
THREATS
PAKISTAN
The term security
is oftenTO
observed
in the

narrow-minded context, rarely do we go into the

conceptual framework. Security is generalized in
military suggestion but with the rapid
developments in the existing world, different
dimensions of it have come to the forefront.
Security is an overriding priority for all nations. It
is also fundamental for both disarmament and
development. Security consists of not only
military, but also political, economic, social,
humanitarian and human rights and ecological
aspects.

INTERNAL THREATS:
Internal threats are threats
which a country has to face within its territory.
These threats are more common rather than
any other threats and have outrageous and
destructive effects. Destruction of a countrys
economy is the minor effect of these threats.
These threats not only destabilize a country but
also present a bad image of that country in
front of the world. Most of the problems hurried
interstate tensions and threats are created from
within, by its geopolitics, its location

INTERNAL THREATS TO PAKISTAN:

Pakistan has fallen a
prey of internal threats badly since coming into
existence. The challenges of threats faced are, old as
well as new. Along with its religious identity Pakistan is
also a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural
state. These characteristics have created problems for
her. As a consequence, it has experienced all varieties
of internal conflicts, i.e. tribal insurgencies, ethnic and
sectarian struggles, civil war, border conflicts, and
conventional war. Few of the threats which confuse the
internal security are from the history of disputable
boundaries, cross-border diffusion of ethno-linguistic
and religious groups, conflicting economic interests,
problems in nation building and economic development.
These internal threats lead to external interference in
internal affairs. Pakistan due to its location in the region
has been involved in major coalitions with big powers
which create problems for Pakistan for their personal
motives.

SECTARIAN/RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS:

Pakistans internal security problem has

been spoiled by the religious/sectarian
problem. The sectarian threat poses a great
danger, and could possibly be devastating for
the country. Pakistan has been regarded by
some observers as a weak and vulnerable
state threatened by the force of ethnicity and
sectarianism.

ETHNIC UNREST:

Another danger is the

problem of ethnic unrest. Punjab, with almost
60 percent of the population, dominates
almost all aspects of national life. Smaller
ethnic groups, all of who have at one time
been actively dissident, resent this fact.
Sindh, one of the most
industrious provinces of Pakistan faces a
divide between urban prosperity and rural
deprivation as no other province in Pakistan.
Sindh is the most ethnically diverse of four
provinces, due to both international transfers
of peoples into the province during and
subsequent to partition in 1947 and to
domestic internal migration.

REFUGEES:

The problem of refugees in Pakistan is a

complex issue for Pakistan. It has further enhanced the
already existing problems. It poses a serious threat to
the security at various levels. The main invasion of
refugees came from Afghanistan during the Soviet
Unions invasion of Afghanistan. All the people who ran
away for their lives entered Pakistan through the border
at the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). About 3.5
million Afghan refugees entered into Pakistan over the
last two decades.
The presence of these Afghan refugees
poses threat to the security of Pakistan at different
levels. At the social level, the presence of Afghan
refugees led to disturbance in the law and order
situation, increasing violence and criminal activity, and
aggravated ethnic tension in the NWFP as well as the
Balochistan. The Afghan refugees do not form a group,
as they belong to various tribes, with different tribal
and judicial system, which results in tensions and
conflict within groups and leads to bloodshed.

Arms. The refugees they brought illegal arms, without

any license, which resulted in an abundance of small
arms in Pakistan. The guns and small arms that the
refugees brought with them, they sold it into the open
market at very low prices.
Drugs Another cause for concern was the involvement
of the refugees in drug trafficking. They had free access
to drugs like heroin that they smuggled through the
borders into Pakistan. This made all these drugs easily
accessible to the local society, which, resulted in
increase of drug addiction.
Economy of Pakistan is deeply affected by
the refugees as well. In the early 80s the amount spent
on these refugees per day crossed well over one million
dollars per day. Though foreign donors funded half of
this amount, some of the burden fell on the Pakistani
economy. The government had to provide food, shelter
for these refugees.

TERRORISM:

Terrorism, use of organized pressure,

has been a major threat to Pakistans internal security.
Pakistan has faced the threat of terrorism due to
intolerance, suppression, and excessive violence, and
economic and political discrimination, religious and
ethnic division. Terrorism basically exists in two forms
in Pakistan. The religious extremist groups, which have
been outlawed and have been involved in sectarian
killings or violence fall in this category, whose prime
target is not foreign commercial targets but challenge
the writ of government and the second one is
supported by external sponsorship.
Pakistan has been hostage to terrorist
activities carried out by ethnic and religious groups.
The religious groups used religion as a tool and
expressed that due to control of not being free to
actively practice religion, a reaction has occurred. The
continued criticism of the pro-western policies. In
reaction and to discourage the governments to go all
out for those policies they create trouble by working
into terrorist activities

POVERTY / POPULATION:

Poverty and
population interlinked, pose another threat to
Pakistans internal security. There could be
problems, which facilitate the growth of the
other. The present rate at which Pakistan is
developing in terms of its population growth
rate it is estimated that in the year 2025, the
population of Pakistan will be 263 million.
This growth will lead to other problems for
the country. With the proposed growth rate,
the problems of meeting the basic needs of
the citizens will be difficult. The average
person living well below the poverty line will
be further drawn into the turbulence of
economic deprivation and embedded further
deep into poverty. It will be difficult for the
state to provide the basic services, which will
require expansions.

EXTERNAL THREATS TO PAKISTAN

External threats are those threats which a
country has to be faced by other countries. As discussed in
internal security threats that Pakistan has to face so many internal
security threats. So, to control these internal threats Pakistan may
be needed a lot of money and to obtain the money she may have
to beg for the foreign aid in front the foreign country. The beggar
country may be compiled by the foreign country who use to aid.
So, as the foreign country wants, it would do.
THREATS OF UNITED STATES TO PAKISTAN:
In terms of Pakistan's external security,
the US using Jundullah through Balochistan to destabilize Iran
undermines the socio-historical, cultural and political Pakistan-Iran
relationship and creates its own destabilizing dynamics within
Pakistani society. Perhaps the silliness of the US ignorance is
reflected most clearly now in the statements coming from Obama's
Special Envoy for this region, Richard Holbrooke. He showed it
after his visit to Pakistan when he talked about people not being
able to walk independently in Peshawar.

INDIAN FOREIGN EXTERNAL

AFFAIRS MINISTERS STATEMENT:
13th February, 2009
I rise to inform
the House of developments since this
House last considered the result of the
dishonorable terrorist attack on Mumbai.
On December 12, 2008 this House
resolved, in a serious Resolution that:
"India shall not cease in her efforts until
the terrorists and those who have
trained, funded and supported them are
exposed and brought to justice".

RECOMMENDATIONS for remedies:

According to all of the
above scenario, there are many things which have to
be change. But I like to suggest a few things in order to
help remove these threats from the country. These
recommendations are as follows:
1. EDUCATION:
The first effort should be on the
educational front. Pakistan has made significant
improvement in its literacy rate in the last ten years.
There is a popular national consensus about the
importance of education. It is important to develop the
curricula and syllabi of the first twelve years of
education and to rewrite books on Islamic studies,
social studies, history, Urdu, and English for all school
levels to strengthen the elements which deal with, the
rights of others, tolerance, justice and love

GOVERNANCE:

The quality of governance needs

to be improved. The weak political institutions need to
be developed, in a manner that the evolutionary
process of democracy takes a smooth walk. Bold and
decisive leadership that can make the hard choices
between consumption and investment, education,
defense spending, economic and human development
needs to be there. Leadership that shows integrity in its
personal and public dealings, and that make policies,
which are free of all misconducts and corruption.
Civil and military relations needs
to be addressed, a harmony between them needs to be
created to create a pleasant political environment.
Social, diplomatic, military and economic policies
should be formulated between the two which guard the
national interest of the state and which in the longterm perspective does not pose a threat.

SECTARIANISM:

An ongoing dialogue
between the leaders of the two groups at a
national as well as at the city level is
important. Many times, culprits of the
violence between the two groups have been
unknown gunmen who have killed at either
Sunni or Shia Masjids with no one claiming
any responsibility. Most leaders from both
sides are not involved in the violence. Most
Masjids do not preach violence against any
group. Then who starts these fights?

ETHNICITY / MINORTIES:

Civil leadership
should facilitate dialogue between the ethnic
groups in Sindh to create a balance and
harmony. Contact should be established
between the ethnic groups so that they can talk
out their grievances and redress the situation.
A common cause for the betterment of the
society should be established between the two.
The minorities
should be treated appropriately. Positive
relationship should be worked out between the
Muslims and the non-Muslims. A pleasant
environment should be created where the
minorities do not feel neglected and contribute
in building Pakistan as a better state

TERRORRISM:
Internally Pakistan
should deal with sectarianism as that is
posing a lot of terrorist threats to the
security. With emphasis on controlling
internal threats of terrorism, external the
threats should also not be ignored as
they act as feeders to the internal
threats.
The Iranian connection to
supporting the danger of terrorism could
not be ruled out. They are funding the
sectarian groups who are following their
agenda.

IMMIGRATION/BORDER:

Whether its the

border with India, Afghanistan, Iran, or the seashores,
with the exception of the northeast, Pakistans borders
are by and large only monitored on road crossings. This
leads to the general problem of a growing illegal
population and penetration.
Smuggling also
flourishes in Pakistan due to the border situation. There
are well-known bazaars throughout the country, which
sell smuggled goods. Last year in Zhob, which borders
Afghanistan, I found pickup trucks, which were ten
percent of the cost of these vehicles in Karachi. You can
find cheaper and better cows closer to the borders of
India in Sindh, where people smuggle grain and oils to
India in exchange for cows, which Hindus dont want to
slaughter themselves