In 2021, Pakistan unveiled its first-ever National Security Policy, emphasizing the centrality of its citizens by declaring that “the safety, security, dignity, and prosperity of citizens in all their manifestations will remain the ultimate purpose of Pakistan’s national security.” This marked a rhetorical shift from the military-dominated narrative towards a seemingly more inclusive, citizen-focused approach. However, four years later, the gap between rhetoric and reality has only widened, exposing the fragility of Pakistan’s security architecture.
Internal Struggles: The Growing Baloch Insurgency
Pakistan continues to face intensifying internal unrest, with Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the forefront of rising insurgencies. The Baloch nationalist movement, after decades of state suppression, has not only endured but expanded its reach and tactical sophistication. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and similar groups have shifted from traditional rural operations to striking critical economic infrastructure and urban centers, including high-profile attacks on Chinese-backed projects and Pakistani military facilities.
Despite the persistence of the insurgency, the government has largely refused to address its roots. Rather than acknowledging legitimate grievances—such as political marginalization, inequitable resource distribution, and a severe lack of public services—the state has pursued a militarized approach, employing enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and large-scale military operations.
This heavy-handed strategy has only deepened alienation among Baloch communities. For many, the state is viewed not as a protector but as a colonizer, extracting resources from the mineral-rich province while leaving it among the country’s most impoverished regions. Prominent advocates for justice, such as Mahrang Baloch, have themselves become victims of state repression, with family members often forcibly disappeared or killed.
Regional Policy and Diplomatic Fallout
Compounding its internal challenges, Pakistan’s regional policies—particularly its ties with the Afghan Taliban and continued reliance on extremist proxies—have led to diplomatic isolation. While the state frames the Baloch insurgency as externally driven, particularly blaming India, this narrative deflects from its failure to address deep-seated domestic grievances. Instead, such policies have exposed the country to militant reprisals and exacerbated its precarious security situation.
A Military-Dominated Security Framework
Pakistan’s security apparatus remains dominated by its military, which views national security almost exclusively through the lens of external threats, particularly from India. This conventional, India-centric outlook has sidelined pressing internal issues, fostering a security environment where dissent is systematically suppressed.
Movements advocating for ethnic rights, democratic reforms, or journalistic freedom are often labeled as threats to "national unity." For instance, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and protests like the Baloch Yakjehti Committee’s march against state-enforced disappearances have been met with censorship and violence. This strategy has only intensified public distrust and fragmented Pakistan’s social fabric further.
The Road Ahead
Pakistan’s faltering security framework underscores a critical failure to reconcile state priorities with citizen realities. While the 2021 National Security Policy promised a comprehensive approach, the continued militarization of governance, disregard for political grievances, and suppression of dissent reveal a state struggling to adapt to the complexities of modern governance.
To avoid dragging itself further into instability, Pakistan must overhaul its approach—shifting from a militarized, externally focused strategy to one rooted in inclusive governance, equitable development, and genuine respect for human rights. Without this pivot, the nation risks further alienating its people and pushing itself closer to the end of the road.
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