The result of the all-parties conference held in Islamabad was unanimous support for the Kashmir cause, and a resolution to pursue the Kashmiri right to self-determination with increased diplomatic intensity while affirming Pakistan’s commitment of using peaceful means to do so. Moreover, the political leadership of Pakistan was also one in condemning Indian atrocities in the India-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian belligerence following the attack in Uri, and its involvement in the Balochistan province. All of this conveyed a message of internal unity of the political leadership over the South Asian crisis, and showed the world that Pakistan’s political parties are capable of putting their differences aside when it comes to protection of their country. While all of this is commendable in itself, the all-parties conference also achieved something far more concrete. In the conference the reconstitution of the National Security Committee of parliament was recommended, which was agreed upon by government. While it remains to be seen as to what extent the National Security Committee is empowered, but its reconstitution is a step in the right direction. If properly followed through, this committee has the potential to give parliament its proper share of power in the formulation of national security policy, and make state institutions more responsive towards parliament’s input. Moreover, an active parliamentary role in the national security sphere would also help in strengthening the democratic foundations of Pakistan, and give greater weight to country’s security concerns, by mere virtue of parliamentary involvement and its resulting democratic character.
The recent surge in hostilities between Pakistan and India with all of its virulence had made war appear not as an unlikely possibility. With Indian accusations towards Pakistan immediately following the militant attack in Uri and its passing off of firing across the line of control as a ‘surgical strike’, the South Asian crisis assumed a precarious position, which was fraught with the danger of things easily spiralling out of control. In light of this, a show of unity by the political leadership of Pakistan had become a necessity.
