Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Wednesday said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), in view of its regional and global impact, would necessitate a new strategic doctrine.

Addressing the graduation ceremony of National Security and War Course 2017 here at the National Defence University (NDU), the president said the vision of ‘One Belt, One Road’ had laid the foundation of far-reaching changes at global scenario. “With the progress on these projects there will also be changes in the region’s strategic realities. Thus a new Strategic Doctrine will be inevitable.”

The president noted that emergence of new trends of extremism and terrorism during the last three decades had further increased the challenges and Pakistan was forced to remain in a constant state of war to tackle them. “In such a difficult circumstances, Pakistani nation and its institutions have succeeded in this trial. Under the National Action Plan (NAP), the Government of Pakistan and its institutions have bravely fought the war against extremism and terrorism and successfully repulsed the enemy,” he said and expressed the confidence that the desired objectives of the operations Zarb-e-Azb and Radd-ul-Fasaad will be achieved very soon and peace and security will prevail in the motherland.

The president emphasized that Pakistan came into existence with the resolve that it will become a source of promoting global and regional peace and stability through its positive and constructive role. At the internal level, Pakistan was envisaged to be an excellent example of a welfare state to the world by ensuring provision of all necessities of life to its citizens with dignity and respect, he added. “But unfortunately, immediately after the creation of Pakistan, such incidents began to occur in this region especially in our country which made it difficult to achieve our objectives. These issues also included wars which led to the creation of political, social and economic problems which we are still grappling with,” he added.

The president further said, “In the present era, not only the economy and society but also all other fields of life including justice have achieved equal significance like military affairs. In this backdrop, the importance of National Security and War Course has increased more than before.”

Welcoming the senior officers from friendly countries participating in the course, the president said, “Their presence has enhanced the significance of the course because in this age cooperation among nations is the only basis of mutual co-existence.”

Published in Daily Times, June 22nd, 2017.