Rs 3,000
The discussion paper National Security Council: A Debate on Institutions and Progress for Decision-Making on Security Issues attempts to provide background information on the evolution, scope, nature and role of National Security Council in various countries of the world and its comparison with the National Security Council in Pakistan. Authored by Dr. Hasan-Askari Rizvi, renowned Defence and Political Analyst, the paper looks at various models of the NSC in various countries while reviewing in comparison whether the NSC in Pakistan would prevent future military interventions in the country. The paper was first published in August 2005 while it has been updated in April 2012 to reflect changing trends and scenarios. The role of institutions and processes for policy making on national security can be understood only in the political and historical context of the state in question. In an established democracy, the NSC-like entity has a limited and advisory role. The top brass of the military play a marginal role in the final stage of policy-making because the overriding principle is the primacy of the civil/political over the military. The paper argues that the experience of Pakistan and Turkey shows that the existence of the NSC is no guarantee that the military will not use other means to pursue its agendas in political and other domains and that it would not defy the constitution and democracy.
