ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday agreed that the country was faced with enormous security threats and challenges, but insisted that the civil and military leaderships were fully aware of the situation.

Responding to a point of public importance raised by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan last week about the claim made by his predecessor Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Mr Iqbal told the upper house of parliament that not only the prime minister and the army chief but all members of the cabinet committee on national security were aware of security threats. He said the committee met on a regular basis to review matters relating to national security.

Chaudhry Nisar had claimed that only four individuals — two armed forces personnel and two civilians including him and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif — were aware of the serious threat.

Mr Iqbal, however, said there was no such forum where only four individuals were informed about a national security threat, adding that the cabinet committee on national security was the appropriate forum.

He said many forces had issues with Pakistan’s nuclear capability and stability while some saw revival of the country’s economic potency as a threat to them. He referred to the statements emanating from New Delhi against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, including the ones from the foreign minister and the army chief.

But he said there was no challenge which could not be overcome with national unity. “We will not need any external foes if there is anarchy in the country,” he warned. He said the tool of disinformation was being used in the cyber age to create anarchy in the country and division among institutions and society. He called for prudently tackling the situation.

The minister also touched upon the US president’s recent remarks in which he tried to blame Pakistan for US failure in Afghanistan. He said the government and state institutions were fully aware of all challenges and were taking appropriate steps accordingly.

Earlier, Aitzaz Ahsan said Chaudhry Nisar had identified the civilians who were aware of the threat, but not mentioned the armed forces personnel. He said Mr Nisar was apparently referring to the former army and ISI chiefs because both had been changed after the disclosure was first made. “That means none among the present civil and military leadership is aware of the threat he was referring to.”

Mr Ahsan proposed that the matter be discussed in detail at a meeting of the Senate committee of the whole where Chaudhry Nisar could be invited to give an in-camera briefing.

Responding to another point raised by Senator Usman Kakar, Mr Iqbal said some organised gangs in Afghanistan wanted to carry out terrorist activities in Balochistan.

Mr Kakar had raised the issue of closure of 300 coal mines in Harnai district by the FC Balochistan on the pretext of security clearance after a bomb blast on Aug 13 left six FC personnel dead.

The interior minister said such steps were taken on the basis of intelligence information and were temporary in nature, adding that the steps were necessary to avert any threat of loss of precious human lives in subversive activities.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani, while referring to the issue of Baloch separatists placing posters in Geneva, said that while Pakistan was accused by the West of harbouring terrorists, Switzerland was encouraging separatists and terrorists from its soil. “We should not take this issue lightly,” he said and asked Law Minister Zahid Hamid to convey to the foreign minister that he should come to the house on Wednesday (today) for an official statement on the issue.

Mr Rabbani also referred to the media reports which said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would be visiting the United States to address the United Nations General Assembly. However, he will not be meeting President Donald Trump, but the US vice president, on the sidelines of the assembly.

The Senate chairman termed it downgrading of Pakistan and a ridiculing step against a country which had played an important role in the war on terror in the region. He pointed out that the US supplies passed through air and land routes of Pakistan.

“My advice is that he [PM Abbasi] should not meet the US vice president. If Trump has no time for Pakistan, Pakistan should not have time for Trump,” he remarked.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2017