Humans are living in a more unsafe and insecure world in contemporary times. aside from the traditional military issues and nuclear threats, developing Pakistan is beset by some serious non-traditional security threats. These threats are water scarcity, population explosion, low human progress, rising food insecurity, climate change, unpredictable recurrent natural calamities, widespread infectious and fatal diseases, regular resettling and drug addiction. Main reasons that aggravate these non-traditional security threats include political instability, low economic growth rate, low literacy rate, bad performance of the police department and uncontrolled corruption prevalence in the country. However, wise and effective measures like maintenance of political solidity, educating the nation, poverty alleviation, refining and authorizing the police department, eradication of corruption, controlling the rapidly increasing population rate and tentative move against the climate change can assist the state to settle its non-traditional security (NTS) threats. although, Pakistan is facing severe non-traditional security threats due to multiple reasons, timely, effective, and prudent measures can help the state resolve its non-conventional safety risks.
Security is important for the survival and well-being of people and the state. one can understand non-traditional security risks by viewing that NTS threats mostly arise from non-military origins. NTS threats are transnational and do not originate on account of power competition in the state. as for as Pakistan is concerned, its NTS threats are more alarming than those of its rival countries. Therefore, it is imperative to take curative steps to curtail the issue.
The first and foremost NTS threat to Pakistan is water shortage. according to the express Tribune, per capita water availability has reduced from 5260 cubic meters in 1951 to 935 cubic meters in 2019. Water deficiency has led to less economic growth, poverty, joblessness and war threats with India on water reservoirs. as the Modi government said, “Blood and water cannot flow together”. Thus, water shortage is one of the major NTS threats to the country.
Another major NTS threat to Pakistan is the rapid population explosion. Pakistan’s population has increased from 32.6 million in 1951 to 207.7 million in 2017, as per data given by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This huge rise in population has increased the burden on the economy and enhanced water consumption has led to a water crunch. In short, population rise has increased NTS threats to Pakistan.
Apart from population rise, low human development has also triggered NTS threats to the state. according to the united nations Development Program (UNDP), around 60 per cent population of Pakistan is under the age of 35 and they lack basic training and resources. Such people prove a drain on an already struggling economy, they do not contribute to the economy rather they can be recruited by terrorist groups. Hence, low human development has worsened the NTS threats to the country.
Increasing food insecurity is also a non-traditional security threat to Pakistan. rapid population rise and low human progress have created food insecurity. according to the Global Hunger Index 2019, about 20.3 per cent of people in Pakistan are food insecure. food deprivation creates mental and physical illness. a famous saying is, “a healthy mind needs a healthy body” and health comes from sufficient healthy diet. So, food insecurity creates another NTS-threat to Pakistan.
Aside from food insecurity, the monster of climate change has worsened the NTS threats to Pakistan. Due to global warming, glaciers like the Himalayas are dwindling 30 to 50 meters annually. This glacier melting is depleting the water reservoirs speedily. on the economic front, climate change is leading towards agricultural and industrial devastation. In brief, climate change has raised the NTS threats to Pakistan.
Over and above, recurrence of natural catastrophes is also among the NTS threats to Pakistan. unpredictable rains and floods are worsening the problem. according to the World Bank, the flush floods of 2010 caused 9.7 billion dollar economic losses to the country. as per a CNN report, in the 2010 floods 1,700 people lost their lives and around 20 million people were displaced from their homes. In a nutshell, natural disasters are intensifying the NTS threats to Pakistan.
Moreover, the emergence of harmful and infectious diseases also presents another NTS threat to Pakistan. Water-borne diseases are increasing the problems for the government. according to the Anadolu news agency, about 0.1 million people in Pakistan die annually due to water-borne diseases. alarmingly, due to the spread of HIV-AIDS almost 900 AIDS patients were diagnosed in a village in interior Sindh in 2019. Shortly, the prevalence of deadly diseases is a serious threat to Pakistan’s security.
Besides the emergence of harmful diseases, regular migration of people from regional countries towards Pakistan is also a major non-traditional security threat to Pakistan. according to the foreign Policy magazine, about 2.3 million afghan refugees are still residing in Pakistan. These refugees are posing a very real threat because these are mostly jobless people and are hired by Indian and Afghanistan intelligence agencies for terrorist activities against Pakistan. Moreover, they are a burden on the economy because they do not pay taxes to the state.
Last but not least, drug trafficking is another grave threat to the country. according to the un program of Drugs and crimes, about 6.3 million Pakistanis are drug addicts. Such drug users get involved in street crimes and can easily be recruited for militant attacks. In brief, drug smuggling poses severe NTS threats to Pakistan.
The above non-traditional security threats are increased due to multiple reasons. firstly, political instability causes a big threat to national security and many political and government institutes have shown reluctance to resolve NTS threats. “They have always remained busy in strengthening and empowering individuals”, said Hassan askari a political scientist. Hence, political instability has instigated NTS threats to Pakistan.
Secondly, low economic growth has also aggravated non-traditional security threats to Pakistan. according to the PM advisor on financial affairs Hafeez Sheikh, Pakistan’s economic growth is projected to reduce to 1.5 per cent due to COVID-19. low economic growth leads to poverty, street crimes, and terrorism. “economy is the start and end of everything, one cannot have educational or any other reforms due to low economic growth,” said former British PM David Cameroon.
Thirdly, the low literary rate has also caused the NTS threat to the country. according to the economic Survey of 2018-2019, the literacy rate in Pakistan is about 62.3 percent. around 40 per cent of people in Pakistan are uneducated. Such illiterate people can easily be attracted by terrorist outfits. Also, ignorant people cannot contribute to the economy and also cannot participate in social and economic affairs of the country. Therefore, the less educational growth rate has contributed to myriad threats faced by national security.
Fourthly, mal-performance of the police department has also increased the NTS threat. on account of the poor performance of the police, the law and order situation has always remained unsatisfactory. Due to low functioning of the police, terrorist groups get the benefit and are able to spread violence. Pakistan has thus far lost 75,000 lives and 150 billion dollars as economic losses due to terrorist activities, according to PM Imran Khan. Hence, the low performance of the police also contributes to NTS threats to Pakistan.
Furthermore, uncontrolled corruption in the country is also responsible for non-traditional security threats. foreign companies are now reluctant to invest in Pakistan because of corruption, particularly in high places. according to the World Bank, about 88.2 percent foreign companies have to give bribes to win contracts in Pakistan. corruption is thus a factor contributing to alarming NTS threats to the country.
The non-traditional security threats need to be dealt with sagacious and effectual measures. In this regard, maintenance of political solidity is compulsory to make the institutes operative and result-oriented. In addition mass awareness through public education is the need of the hour. execution of article 25-A is necessary for educating all the children aged between 5 to 16 years. apart from this, poverty alleviation is integral to halting NTS threats. In this regard, the Benazir Income Support Program and Ehsaas Program can do wonders. The youth should be given technical training and soft loans so that they can start their own business. additionally, reforming and rationally empowering the police department will enhance internal security infrastructure. The eradication of corruption and discouraging nepotism can help to reduce NTS risks, as well. Moreover, NAB, FIA, the Judiciary and the media should also maintain cooperation with one another to identify corrupt individuals with the intent to pave the way towards the elimination of corruption. aside from that, the population growth rate is needed to be controlled. This growth should be reduced from 2.1 percent rate to 1.2 percent. Besides, timely measures against climate change with international collaboration can assist the country to resolve global warming NTS threat to the state.
To conclude, we are living in a more dangerous world today, where non-traditional security threats have proved ominous to modern civilizations that are disrupting natural ecosystem. NTS threats are multidimensional; they are disturbing the natural equilibrium and leaving adverse impacts on states’ economy, culture and society. In Pakistan, NTS threats have grown at an alarming pace. Main NTS threats to Pakistan are water shortage, the rapid increase in population rate, poor human progress, enhancing food insecurity, the giant of climate change, recurrence of natural catastrophes, the prevalence of harmful diseases, regular relocations, and drug trafficking. The major reasons that aggravate these NTS threats are political instability, low economic growth, less literacy ratio, the poor performance of the police department and uncontrolled corruption in the country. However, effective steps like maintenance of political solidity, educating the nation reforming the police department, suppression of corruption, mitigation of poverty, reducing the population growth rate and corrective move against the climate change with international assistance can mitigate non-traditional security threats to Pakistan.
Contributed by Beenish Aftab
“Beenish Aftab is an educationist and she is associated with the Education Department of Punjab”.
