Islamabad, Jan 5: Warning that “forces of doom and gloom” are bent on derailing the system, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that Pakistan will have to redefine its military doctrine to comprehensively tackle terrorism.
“We need to work on a strategy which can comprehensively tackle (terrorism). We have to redesign and redefine our military doctrine to achieve this objective,” Ashraf said.
“The forces of doom and gloom thrive in an environment of chaos, uncertainty and instability. We need to guard against all such forces, who are out to derail the system so assiduously put in place after a protracted struggle,” the premier said while addressing a gathering at the National Defence University yesterday.
Ashraf's comments came in the wake of a recent spike in attacks by the Taliban and reports that the Pakistan Army had made a paradigm shift in its new doctrine by describing homegrown militant groups and internal dangers as the biggest threat to security.
The premier said threats to Pakistan's national security “stem from mainly non-state actors who are targeting state's symbols and institutions in a bid to impose their agenda”. This was an “enemy which is nameless and faceless”, he said.
While highlighting the sacrifices of the security forces, law enforcement agencies and citizens in the war against terrorism, Ashraf stressed the need to redefine the military doctrine.
“Our national security institutions must improve intelligence gathering and establish effective coordination among civil and military institutions to attain optimum results,” he said.
The government will provide all possible support and resources for such efforts, he added.
