ISLAMABAD, Sep 19: Authored by the Chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence, Mushahid Hussain Syed, a blue print for creating think tanks in political parties with a focus on defence and security policy was unveiled here on Wednesday.

The event was a joint forum of the Senate body with Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) for political parties on improving civil-military relations in Pakistan.

Political parties at the Forum were represented by Senator Jahangir Badar, Leader of the House in the Senate and Secretary General Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, Chairman Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Dr Tariq Fazal, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Secretary General PML-Q, Chairman Senate Defence Committee, Syed Tayyab Hussain, MQM MNA Mr Ehsan Wyne, Secretary General ANP, Dr Arif Alvi, Secretary General PTI, and Senator Muhammad Akram Shah, Central General Secretary PKMAP, at the forum.

Unveiling his recommendations for political parties on developing internal think tanks, Mushahid Hussain Syed said that as engines of developing policies and institutionalising decision-making, think tanks, or research institutes, attached to political parties are an essential requirement for parties that are serious in delivering good governance to the public.

Traversing Pakistan’s political history for policy decisions, which he referred to as ‘policy blunders’ or those that have had ‘disastrous repercussions’ for Pakistan, Senator Syed said that institutionalised, well thought out decision-making, anchored in dedicated research and broad consultation, can help political parties to serve Pakistan better.

In his discussion paper published under the banner of PILDAT, Mushahid Hussain Syed observed that ever since 1979, foreign policy and national security issues in Pakistan have influenced and on occasions, guided, not just the debate but also the direction of domestic politics and policies.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Raza Rabbani said that the grave challenges facing Pakistan can only be tackled by political parties of Pakistan.

Senator Rabbani did not agree with re-introduction of the post of a civilian National Security Advisor owing to what he termed ‘negative’ experiences of Pakistan in this regard earlier.

Senator Jahangir Badar, Leader of the House in the Senate and Secretary General PPP, endorsed the views of Senator Rabbani. He appreciated PILDAT’s continuous efforts in the national interest to create political consensus in Pakistan on crucial challenges facing the country.

Representing PML-N, Dr Tariq Fazal said that consistency and continuity is required in civilian policies.

Ehsan Wyne, Secretary General ANP, said that ANP has an internal policy think tank, where decisions are taken. He said political consensus in the past 4 and a half years has helped Parliament and coalition government resolve long-standing issues of this country including that of provincial autonomy.

Dr Arif Alvi, Secretary General PTI, thanked PILDAT and appreciated the paper, authored by Senator Syed on establishing think tanks in parties. He said that PTI has been working with a few think tanks but has not known what to do with the product of think tanks.

Representing Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP), Senator Muhammad Akram Shah, said that in established democracies, civil-military relations are pre-determined in Constitutions and legal frameworks. Establishing civilian supremacy is a tall order in Pakistan. All powers need to be with elected public representatives of the country.