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SOME 70 sovereign states existed before World War II. Today, some 195 are UN member states. Globalisation, modern technology, climate change, political instability, social media and changing values pose challenges to states. The first two increased the speed of interactions but also limited states’ ability to control their own economy, with institutions like FATF expecting adherence to set rules. Climate change displaces people, disrupts food security and affects infrastructure and livelihoods. It challenges state capacity. In 2022, Pakistan, Belize and Italy were ranked by the Climate Risk Index as the most affected by extreme weather. Globally, from 1993 to 2022, extreme weather led to $4.2 trillion in losses.
Post-9/11, some states face cross-border terrorism and insurgencies, cross-border training camps, spill-over of regional violence, refugee influx, parallel governance structures set up by violent non-state actors, arms and human trafficking. In poorly governed areas, VNSAs block service delivery by attacking government installations and disrupting anti-polio drives. Extremists spread misinformation via social media to destabilise societies and weaken democratic processes. Low media literacy prevents people from distinguishing between false and real news, making it tough for states to preserve digital freedoms. Limited cybercrime investigation capacity and weak laws erode trust.
Stakeholder collaboration, rooted in transparency, education and respect for rights, may help. States can respond to fake news through transparency laws and obligate platforms to remove harmful content. Awareness drives can restrict fake news. Collaboration with social media platforms and AI use can help detect misinformation networks. Finland introduced a ‘fact-checking task force’ to monitor and debunk fake news in real-time, which works with media on verifying information. Cyberspace is a new sphere of power, which no state can effectively police on its own, with the dark web and encrypted platforms posing security threats.
States not only face military threats but also narrative warfare. Countering narratives and ensuring the free information flow gives intelligentsia scope to counter anti-state narratives. Erosion of trust in institutions increases public discontent with bureaucracy. Low allocations for health exposes gaps. A growing pensioner population has increased the state’s financial burden. Not addressing such issues may lead to violent movements. Ideological polarisation hinders consensus building and policymaking.
Non-traditional security threats are transnational, often non-military, and threaten sovereignty. States face VNSA terrorism, internal conflict and geopolitical rivalry, negatively impacting internal security. Once confined to borders, conflicts are now multidimensional and non-traditional with VNSAs operating in cyber and media space too. Fake news creates ideological battlefields inside nations where identity, political and economic inequalities and religion are misused to weaken governance. Conflict has transitioned from the battlefield to the mind, from borders to communities.
Cyberspace is the new sphere of power.
Ungoverned spaces are no longer limited to urban/rural areas but include maritime and cyberspace. States with weak law enforcement face VNSA challenges, making such areas potential sanctuaries for VNSAs. Cybercrime, data breach and digital espionage compromise sovereignty and trust. Online radicalisation enables lone wolves to strike, while the internet provides space for information warfare. Transnational organised crime weakens the rule of law and encourages corruption. Refugees and IDPs create humanitarian and security challenges.
Improved governance needs sociopolitical, economic and military approaches with public support to socially isolate militants who fill ungoverned spaces. In this context, Fata’s merger was a positive step. Community engagement and promoting local governance through tribal and religious leaders help peacebuilding. Cross-border cooperation, including CT operations and technology can monitor ungoverned areas. Policing cybersecurity and capacity building of police, judiciary and civil services are priorities. Few states have a plan like Colombia’s Patriota plan based on an integrated governance and development approach where the military in remote areas has security functions to uproot guerrillas and engage in infrastructure development. In militancy- and insurgency-infested areas Pakistan can modify such a plan to suit local needs with government and public support.
Combating cyberspace challenges needs cooperation, regulation and preparedness, which necessitates implementation of cyber laws and institution building and building digital capacity while balancing security with digital freedom.
The writer is the author of Pakistan: In Between Extremism and Peace.
X: @alibabakhel
Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2025
