KARACHI: Chief of the Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif has said that security does not refer only to external threats but is a concern in terms of politics, human rights, economy, water security, terrorism and insurgency.

Gen Sharif, who was the chief guest at a conference (Industry Summit) organised by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute in a hotel here on Thursday, also spoke about the Palestine and Kashmir issues and said there must be conflict resolution in these areas because security could not be achieved by securing borders alone, but also by protecting ways of life, culture, ideas and sensitivities.

The army chief, who earlier visited the Ideas-2014, said at the outset that he had been pleased by the success of the exhibition.

He said Pakistan’s current enemy “lives within us and looks like us”, adding that the definition of security had changed with the passage of time.

He said that because of increased polarisation, governments were unable to protect their people and national security.

“In contemporary geopolitics, the battles are no longer between state and non-state actors but are with supra-individuals, those individuals who exploit both the national and international space for their desired objectives. These supra-individuals have the capacity to manipulate networks, organisations and state institutions to create waves of instability and create discord at the centre of the state institutions. Explosions are still a viable tool of war, but implosions are the new defeat mechanisms,” he said.

During his visit to the exhibition, the army chief went to Pakistani and foreign stalls and inspected weapons and other war instruments on display. At the Russian pavilion, he was presented with the model of a Russian helicopter.

He also visited the stalls of China and Turkey and exchanged views with foreign delegates.

At the Pakistani pavilion he took interest in the locally-manufactured ‘Azb’ sniper gun, drone aircraft, bullet-proof jackets, badges and simulators.

He witnessed a demonstration of the Pofe eye-gun manufactured by the Pakistan Ordinance Factory. He also went to the stalls of Pakistan Navy, Air Force and Army and one dedicated to missile technology. At the outer premises of the Expo Centre, he had a look at armoured vehicles, Al-Khalid and Al-Zarrar tanks at the stall of the Heavy Mechanical Complex, Taxila. He also took interest in weapons at the stalls of the Pakistan Ordinance Factory, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Telecommunications.

The conference was also addressed by Information Minister Pervez Rashid and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad.

CLOSING CEREMONY: Addressing the closing ceremony of Ideas-2014 at the Expo Centre, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain said Pakistan showcased one of the best and technologically advanced air and ground equipment in the global market and achieved self-sufficiency in many fields in the defence sector.

Answering a question, the minister said: “We have achieved all targets of holding the Ideas 2014.”

He said foreign delegates and exhibitors had a comfortable stay and a good message would be conveyed to the world that Pakistan was a peaceful country and had the skill to hold a grand event in the most organised manner.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014