A Pakistan delegation comprising senior Parliamentary leaders and representatives of PILDAT Dialogue Group on Civil-Military Relations concluded 3 days of interactions with UK Govt. Ministers, Parliamentary committee chairs, MPs, UK party representatives, intellectuals and think tanks representatives.
Study visit to UK has been centred around National Security and the role of Parliament and Political Parties in influencing and scrutinizing the strategies. The 10-member delegation that visited UK from July 3-5, 2012 included Senator Ishaq Dar, Leader of the Opposition in Senate, Senator Raza Rabbani, Chairman Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan, MNA, Syed Haider Abbas Rizvi, MNA, Deputy Parliamentary Leader MQM, Dr. Arif Alvi, Secretary General, PTI, Mr. Shahid Hamid, Former Minister for Defence, Mr. Mujib-ur-Rahman Shami, Editor in Chief Daily Pakistan, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, Executive Director, PILDAT and Ms. Aasiya Riaz, Joint Director, PILDAT.
The senior delegation very ably articulated Pakistan's perspective, concerns and issues on the planned exit of the US/NATO forces from Afghanistan in 2014 and its impact for Afghanistan and Pakistan in conversations with the senior ministers, Parliamentary leaders and opinion makers in the UK. The Group highlighted that security, political and economic future balance of the region must be carefully planned for with deep engagement of Pakistan. Pakistan's changing dynamics as a vibrant, most democratic and freest Muslim democracy in the world with its independent media, assertive judiciary, and vital civil society /citizens groups must be kept in view while recognising that Pakistan is positioning itself for the post-2014 realities of the region.
It was underlined that Pakistan is the biggest stakeholder on the issue of post-2014 Afghanistan, hosting 2.5 million refugees, having suffered and sacrificed the most after 9/11 with over 40,000 loss of lives of civilians and soldiers, hence the Afghan reconciliation process requires Pakistan's proactive participation, and its interests are in a stable, united and peaceful Afghanistan.
In the context of a changing Pakistan, where multiple power centres are equally important, the newly acquired role of Parliament, particularly the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, was emphasised given its lead role in presenting new policy guidelines on issues pertaining to security and foreign policy.
All through the visit, the delegation, which included representatives from 5 political parties, spoke on issues focusing on a national approach, above party lines.
The visit combined avenues of mutual learning and engagement between the Pakistan delegation and the UK Government, Parliament, political parties and think tanks on the institutional arrangements for national security in the UK and the changing role of Parliament and democratic government in Pakistan in defining national security priorities of Pakistan.
On the first day of the visit, the delegates held interactions with Mr. James Brokenshire, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Crime and Security, Home Office, Rt. Hon. James Arbuthnot, MP, chair and members of the Defence Committee of the House of Commons, Rt. Hon. Margarett Beckett, MP chair and members of the Joint Committee of UK Parliament on National Security Strategy, Mr. Alex Neil, Senior Research Fellow RUSI on Pakistan and NATO/UK Role in Afghanistan: Challenges for 2014 Exit, Mr. Gerald Howarth, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence and Rt. Hon. Sir Malcom Bruce, MP, Chair and members of International Development Select Committee.
The second day began with a candid conversation with the Labour party on the role it has played in reviewing UK National Strategy and the role of Labour in formulation of policies on national security. The delegation was joined by Rt. Hon. John Spellar, Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr. Russell Brown, Shadow Minister for Defence and Ms. Jo Greening.
Pakistan delegation engaged deeply with the chair and members of the Intelligence and Security Committee and its remit in overseeing Intelligence agencies of the UK. Rt. Hon. Sir Malcom Rifkind, chair, was joined by Rt. Hon. George Howarth, MP, Rt. Hon. Hazel BLears, MP, and Rt. Hon. Paul Goggins, MP in sharing with the delegation the evolving remit of the committee which is moving towards being a Parliamentary committee changing its current status. The committee will also, once the legislation under consideration is passed by the Parliament, be able to look at operations of the UK intelligence agencies.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, cabinet minister, and Mr. Andrew Stephenson, MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistan joined the Pakistan delegation at a lunch interaction on Pak-UK relations and how Parliamentary ties can strengthen these further. Members of the Pakistan group including Mr. Eric Ollenshaw, MP, Ms. Yasmeen Qureshi, MP and Lord Ahmed also joined the interaction.
Ms. Shabana Mahmood, young British MP of Pakistan origin and Shadow Minister for Business, Innovation and Skills, discussed in detail with the delegation role of the community cohesion in relation to National Security.
The delegation called on the Home Secretary, Rt. Hon. Theresa May, to discuss the role of interior security to national security and raised questions relating to Pak-UK cooperation on capacity building of LEAs and intelligence sharing.
UK National Security Advisor Sir Kim Darroch and Deputy National Security Advisor Mr. Julian Miller engaged with the Pakistan delegation on the role of National Security Council, its composition and how it has been able to bring together elements of national security to reach important decisions in weekly meetings.
Rt. Hon. David Miliband, MP spoke to the Pakistan delegation on the role of cross-party cooperation on national security.
The delegation was briefed in the most eloquent manner on the Parliamentary and judicial enquiry of the phone hacking scandal in the UK by Mr. John Whittingdale, MP chair of Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee.
Third and final day of the study visit began with the delegation in conversation with the UK Minister for Middle East and South Asia Mr. Alistair Burt, MP on UK strategy for 2014 exit from Afghanistan and how the FCO contributes to National Security strategy and implementation.
Prof. Anatol Lieven, academic and celebrated author of the book Pakistan: A Hard Country engaged in a candid discussion with the Pakistan delegation on promise of Pakistan and what it can do to encounter some of the security, economic and political challenges.
Geo security in a globalized world was the topic of the Group's discussion with Mr. Neil Crompton, Director for South Asia and Afghanistan at the FCO followed by a candid conversation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies on international perspectives on 2014 exit of ISAF/NATO forces from Afghanistan.
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