Security

NSP and social cohesion

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2022

PAKISTAN is perhaps the first South Asian country that has now a comprehensive national security doctrine in a documented form. The country’s friends and foes can interpret it in their own way and engage with the state accordingly. But why has Pakistan chosen to put together pieces of its security approaches in the first place?

For some, the doctrine was needed to remove the persisting ambiguities between the internal and external security paradigms which had emerged after 9/11. While the security institutions were struggling to precisely visualise the terrorism threat, which was internal, such ambiguities had also been harming the country’s conventional strategic vision. Others believe that Pakistan needed to understand and define its place in the changing world order, specifically in the context of America’s shifting priorities, which compelled Pakistan to become a proactive member of the Belt and Road Initiative club. This has not been an easy transition and a major segment of the country’s power elite still believes that hiccups in Pakistan-US relations are temporary and that Islamabad can maintain a fine balance in its relationships with the US and China.

The growing economic challenge has been another nightmare for the establishment, and lies at the heart of the National Security Policy. However, the NSP reflects a much deeper issue and is linked with the identity of the state and maintaining cohesion in society. The state has been using religion to create nationalism in the country but at a very high cost. Religiously inspired actors have used the same religious-ideological arguments against the state and damaged the country by promoting sectarianism and extremist narratives, which have not only weakened communal and sectarian harmony and social cohesion, but have also fed into terrorism.

Over the last two decades, state institutions have made multiple moves to fix the issue of religiously motivated terrorism and extremism. Their attempts have included the National Action Plan, Paigham-i-Pakistan, the National Internal Security Policy and the Counter Violent Extremism Policy. A large part of the emphasis has been on bringing in religious actors as the key agents of desired change. The state remains reluctant to find an alternative source of social and national cohesion and feels threatened by the presence of sub-nationalist cultures and sentiments in parts of the country. So, it appears convinced that only a religious narrative could work towards harmonising society. Even in the introduction of the NSP, the prime minister has adopted a religious tone to endorse the policy document.

Political parties and most parliamentarians do not touch any issue with the tag of ‘security’.

It is interesting that while state institutions usually keep a distance from the critical mass of the country, the policy draft has borrowed all ideas and terminology used in the latter’s intellectual discourse — mainly ‘inclusivity’ and ‘diversity’. For instance, in the section on national cohesion, the policy draft reads like this: “It is imperative that we reinforce our coherent national identity based on the principle of unity in diversity.” However, in the next line, there is an expression of fear of external forces which are exploiting the fault lines that exist in society. Notwithstanding the fear behind the notion of ‘unity in diversity’, this is a positive development. But how will the state institution translate it into action? Through changes in the curriculum as mentioned in the NSP? But what is the state doing to bring changes in the curriculum in the first place? The major objection to the Single National Curriculum is that it promotes exclusivity. It is not clear that the state institutions will engage society from whom they have borrowed the terms. Traditionally, their allies for sociopolitical and ideological engineering remained the religious groups from the time of the Afghan jihad to preaching Paigham-i-Pakistan.

ALSO READ : SECP startup portal aims to encourage tech innovation in Pakistan

It is not certain how NSP will help in addressing the identity crisis in the country when the predominant approach of achieving social and national cohesion is to reduce the space for sub-nationalist movements. Apparently, ‘cohesion’ has been used as an alternative term for engagement. The state is using the engagement strategy for religiously inspired actors and cohesion for subnational movements. However, the unclassified NSP document does not help us understand how the cohesion process will be initiated. Will it be a coercive or dialogue-based process?

The NSP identifies the religiously inspired extremist groups and sub-nationalist movements as the key internal security challenges. As per practice, the state spectrum of threat includes other segments of society in this domain as well, which sympathise with any group or movement or raise their voice over state action and policy. The state institutions think in black and white and want to curb all threats with full impunity and without any accountability. They lack the ability to identify the grey areas and it is even harder for them to evolve the policy framework around it.

Parliament can do this job to clearly identify the grey areas, the grievances of the people, and the dynamics which can develop cohesion so that miscreants and irritants can be isolated. Parliament and civilian governments have done this job and developed all instruments and institutions for fixing the issues, including the economic and political grievances of the federating units. But the issue as always remains implementation and the executive remains bound to its commitment to the establishment rather than operationalising trust. Obviously, the executive derives its strength from the establishment rather than from dialogue with dissenters.

ALSO READ : Navigating Nuclear Waters: Russia's Duma Stirs the Pot with CTBT Ratification Revocation

Over time, the word ‘security’, has become very sensitive. Political parties and most parliamentarians do not touch any issue with the tag of ‘security’. They think this is the exclusive domain of security institutions and their job is only to endorse whatever policy is coming from the establishment. If the NSP is presented in parliament, it will be endorsed very easily. Parliament is sovereign but it should be truly independent, and all political parties must play a role to make it the country’s supreme institution. Nothing can guarantee a cohesive Pakistan more than a vibrant parliament.

Via Dawn.com

Post Views: 742

Related Topics:news nsp opinion Pakistan

Up Next

The UAE Drone Attack is a Grim Reminder for Better Regulation of Drones

Don't Miss

The Current Situation And The Governance

Click to comment

Digital

Rubrik: Your One-Stop Shop for Protecting Your Amazon S3 Data

Published

6 days ago

November 28, 2023

Abdul Rahman

Rubrik, a cloud data management company, has announced its support for Amazon S3 Object Lock at AWS. This new feature provides a write-once-read-many (WORM) model for data in S3 to help further secure customers against ransomware and to prevent objects from being deleted or overwritten for the duration of a customer-defined retention period ³. Rubrik customers can now utilize Rubrik Zero Trust Data Security with Amazon S3 as an immutable archive, ensuring long-term backups are kept on a reliable storage service to quickly recover from ransomware attacks ³.

Rubrik’s CloudOut capability allows customers to archive backup data to a public cloud service provider. The required design elements for a CloudOut solution include an IAM User, policies limiting access, data encryption keys, an Amazon S3 bucket, and a Rubrik cluster ¹.

Rubrik’s support for Amazon S3 Object Lock at AWS is a significant step towards providing customers with a secure and reliable storage service. With this new feature, Rubrik customers can rest assured that their data is protected against ransomware and other cyber threats. The new feature provides a write-once-read-many (WORM) model for data in S3 to help further secure customers against ransomware and to prevent objects from being deleted or overwritten for the duration of a customer-defined retention period. Rubrik customers can now utilize Rubrik Zero Trust Data Security with Amazon S3 as an immutable archive, ensuring long term backups are kept on a reliable storage service to quickly recover from ransomware attacks.

ALSO READ : US Navy to arm destroyers with hypersonic weapons

Rubrik Security Cloud provides unified protection of all S3 data across all AWS accounts, and much like with Aurora, the ability to assign SLA Domains to either an entire account or across all onboarded accounts. You will also be able to leverage continuous backup for point-in-time, cost-effective protection of both S3 and Aurora. Rubrik’s CloudOut capability allows customers to archive backup data to a public cloud service provider. The required design elements for a CloudOut solution include an IAM User, policies limiting access, data encryption keys, an Amazon S3 bucket, and a Rubrik cluster.

Rubrik’s support for Amazon S3 Object Lock at AWS is a significant step towards providing customers with a secure and reliable storage service. With this new feature, Rubrik customers can rest assured that their data is protected against ransomware and other cyber threats. The new feature provides a write-once-read-many (WORM) model for data in S3 to help further secure customers against ransomware and to prevent objects from being deleted or overwritten for the duration of a customer-defined retention period. Rubrik customers can now utilize Rubrik Zero Trust Data Security with Amazon S3 as an immutable archive, ensuring long-term backups are kept on a reliable storage service to quickly recover from ransomware attacks.

Post Views: 251

Analysis

Navigating Nuclear Waters: Russia’s Duma Stirs the Pot with CTBT Ratification Revocation

Published

1 month ago

October 21, 2023

Abdul Rahman

Revoking ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty raises Security concerns

Introduction: A Ripple in the Global Security Landscape

International relations are a delicate dance, a balancing act of power, diplomacy, and the pursuit of national interests. In a world where nuclear weapons cast a long shadow, maintaining stability and preventing a return to the terrifying era of nuclear testing is of paramount importance. However, recent developments in Russia have sent shockwaves through the global security landscape.

The Russian Duma, the lower house of the country’s parliament, has taken the first step towards revoking Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), a landmark agreement that prohibits all nuclear explosions. This move, if finalized, could have far-reaching consequences, potentially jeopardizing decades of non-proliferation efforts and reigniting the spectre of nuclear testing.

Understanding the CTBT: A Cornerstone of Nuclear Non-Proliferation

The CTBT, adopted in 1996, is a pivotal international treaty that aims to banish nuclear testing to the annals of history. It prohibits all nuclear explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes and establishes a global verification regime to detect any clandestine attempts to conduct such tests.

The treaty has garnered widespread support, with 185 countries signing and 172 ratifying it. However, its entry into force requires the ratification of eight specific countries, including the United States, China, and, until recently, Russia.

The CTBT’s significance lies in its role as a cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. Banning nuclear testing helps prevent the development of new and more destructive nuclear weapons, thus curbing the spread of these devastating armaments.

Russia’s Duma and the Revocation: Unraveling the Rationale

ALSO READ : The Current Situation And The Governance

Russia’s move to revoke its ratification of the CTBT has raised concerns and sparked debates about the underlying motivations. The Duma’s decision follows President Vladimir Putin’s statement earlier this month, where he suggested mirroring the US stance, as the US has signed but not ratified the treaty.

Some analysts suggest that Russia’s move is a symbolic gesture aimed at demonstrating its displeasure with the US and its allies over their support for Ukraine amidst the ongoing conflict. Others argue that it could be a bargaining chip in future negotiations with the West on various issues, including arms control and security arrangements.

Potential Implications: A World on Edge

The potential implications of Russia’s decision to revoke its CTBT ratification are far-reaching and concerning. It could undermine the treaty’s credibility and weaken the global non-proliferation regime, potentially emboldening other countries to follow suit.

Furthermore, it could signal a return to an era of nuclear testing, reigniting an arms race and escalating tensions between nuclear-armed states. The spectre of nuclear weapons testing, with its devastating environmental and humanitarian consequences, looms large.

Global Reactions: A Chorus of Concern

The international community has reacted with concern and disapproval to Russia’s move. The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed his “deep regret” over the decision, emphasizing the CTBT’s importance in preventing nuclear proliferation.

The United States, a key signatory to the treaty, has also voiced its disapproval, calling Russia’s decision “a serious mistake.” Other countries, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the importance of upholding the CTBT.

ALSO READ : The Abysmal Security Situation And PML (N) Government

Implications for the Future: A Path Forward

The path forward in this complex situation is fraught with challenges. Russia’s move has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the CTBT and the global non-proliferation regime. However, it is crucial to maintain dialogue and diplomacy, urging Russia to reconsider its decision and reaffirm its commitment to the treaty.

The international community must continue to advocate for the CTBT’s universalization and entry into force, emphasizing its significance in preventing nuclear proliferation and safeguarding global security.

Conclusion: A Call for Prudence and Collective Action

Russia’s decision to revoke its ratification of the CTBT is a concerning development that could have far-reaching consequences for global security. It is essential to approach this situation with prudence, seeking diplomatic solutions and reaffirming the importance of the CTBT in preventing nuclear proliferation.

The international community must unite in its efforts to uphold the treaty and prevent a return to the perilous era of nuclear testing. Collective action and a renewed commitment to non-proliferation are paramount in navigating these turbulent nuclear waters.

Post Views: 198

Analysis

Genetics Firm 23andMe: User Data Stolen in Credential Stuffing Attack

Published

2 months ago

October 7, 2023

Abdul Rahman

In a shocking turn of events, 23andMe, a renowned genetics firm that has been at the forefront of providing personalized genetic information, recently fell victim to a major security breach. This breach involved the unauthorized access and theft of user data in what is known as a credential stuffing attack. In this article, we will delve into the details of this unfortunate incident, discuss the implications for 23andMe users, and shed light on the importance of cybersecurity in an age where personal data is more valuable than ever.

Table of Contents

The Anatomy of the Attack

First and foremost, let’s understand what a credential stuffing attack is. This type of cyberattack occurs when hackers gain access to a user’s account by using stolen login credentials. These credentials are often obtained from other data breaches or leaked databases on the dark web. The attackers then use automated tools to enter these stolen usernames and passwords into various websites and online services, hoping to gain unauthorized access.

In the case of 23andMe, hackers successfully exploited this vulnerability, accessing a significant number of user accounts. The scale of this breach sent shockwaves throughout the cybersecurity community, as 23andMe is entrusted with sensitive genetic information of millions of individuals worldwide.

The Stolen Data

The stolen data in this breach is a cause for great concern. 23andMe collects and stores a plethora of personal information, including genetic data, health-related insights, and even ancestry information. While the company claims to prioritize user privacy and data security, this breach has raised serious questions about the safeguarding of such sensitive information.

ALSO READ : The Abysmal Security Situation And PML (N) Government

The stolen data could potentially be used for malicious purposes, such as identity theft, insurance fraud, or even targeted phishing attacks. This incident highlights the need for stricter regulations and enhanced security measures in the genetics industry.

Implications for 23andMe Users

If you are a 23andMe user, it’s crucial to understand the potential implications of this breach. While the company has stated that no genetic data was compromised, the stolen information could still be used to impersonate users and gain access to other online accounts. Therefore, if you use the same login credentials for multiple services, it’s advisable to change your passwords immediately and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Additionally, 23andMe has pledged to enhance its security measures and is actively working to identify and notify affected users. It’s essential to stay vigilant and follow any guidance provided by the company to protect your data further.

The Importance of Cybersecurity

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of cybersecurity in today’s digital age. As individuals, we entrust various online platforms with our most sensitive information, from genetic data to financial details. It is the responsibility of these organizations to prioritize cybersecurity and protect our data from malicious actors.

Companies like 23andMe must invest in robust security measures, conduct regular security audits, and educate their users about best practices for online safety. As consumers, we must also take steps to safeguard our digital identities by using unique and strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and staying informed about the latest cybersecurity threats.

ALSO READ : Indo-Pak Stalmate & The Kashmir

Conclusion

In conclusion, the recent credential stuffing attack on 23andMe has raised serious concerns about data security in the genetics industry. While the full extent of the breach is still being investigated, it serves as a reminder that no organization is immune to cyber threats. As users, we must remain vigilant and proactive in protecting our online identities, and as companies, we must prioritize cybersecurity as a fundamental aspect of our operations.

The 23andMe breach should serve as a wake-up call for both the genetics industry and the broader digital landscape. It underscores the need for continuous improvement in security practices and the protection of user data. Only through collective efforts can we hope to mitigate the risks of such cyberattacks and ensure the safety of our digital world.

Post Views: 579