Elements of National Security a presentation for International Relations students at National Defence University Islamabad. By Abid Hussain

2. Presented by
Abid Hussain Assistant Library
Officer (National Defence
University Islamabad
Elements of National Security

3. Contents in This Presentation
 What is National Security
 Definition of National Security
 Concept of National Security
 Various Aspects of Security
 Elements of National Security
 Military Security
 Political Security
 Economic Security
 Energy Security
 Diplomacy
 Media/Information Base
 Wholesome View of Security
 Human Security
 Food Security
 Health Security
 Environmental Security
 Personal Security
 Community Security
 Political Security
•

4. What is National Security
Every nation strives to protect its core values, aimed at
enabling people to lead their lives in free and secured
environments according to their shared common
beliefs by preserving their national identity and
sovereignty. A Stable Proposed model of National
Security, “national security is an umbrella under
which these core values are well protected and
promoted through application of well thought out
national security strategy.

5. Definition of National Security
National security is the ability to preserve the
nation's physical integrity and territory; to maintain
its economic relations with the rest of the world on
reasonable terms; to preserve its nature, institution,
and governance from disruption from outside; and to
control its borders. Macmillan Dictionary (online
version), defines the term as "the protection or the
safety of a country’s secrets and its citizens"
emphasizing the overall security of a nation and a
nation state.

6. Concept of National Security
Security is an all inclusive concept that in the
modern world takes into account multiple aspects.
It has evolved overtime from narrow understanding
of security which was more in the realm of defence
alone. Generally it considered as the absence of
threats. Or in other words this is also understood as
the quest for freedom from threat and in the
context of states and societies; it is their ability to
maintain their own identity and functional integrity
against forces of change.

7. Various Aspects of Security
The ICG identifies several aspects of security as
follows:-
National Security, Community Security, Personal
Security, Environmental Security and Personal
Liberty.
However, conceptual understanding and construct
does vary with Contemporary interpretation of
national security.

8. Elements of National Security
 Military Security
 Political Security
 Economic Security
 Energy Security
 Diplomacy
 Media/ Information Base
 Wholesome View of Security
 Human Security
 Food Security
 Health Security
 Environmental Security
 Personal Security
 Community Security
 Political Security

9. Elements of National Security
The elements of national security may differ depending
upon different viewpoints and percept's. Besides the
military aspect of security, the aspects of diplomacy,
politics; society; environment; energy and natural
resources; and economy are usually discussed. The
elements of national security are interconnected with
the elements of national power. Security from narcotic
cartels, economic security, environmental security
and energy security are listed as the non-military
elements of national security. The Elements of National
Security are mentioned below.

10. Military Security
• This is traditionally, the earliest recognized and mostly
construed form of national security. Military security implies
the capability of a nation to defend itself, and/or deter
military aggression to its frontiers. Alternatively, military security
implies the capability of a nation to enforce its policy choices by
use of military force . One of the definitions of security given in
the dictionary of Military and Associated Term is, “A
condition that results from the establishment and
maintenance of protective measure s that ensure a state of
inviolability from hostile acts or influences. Military security
traditionally lies at the heart of nation state concept
furthered by Westphalia Concept.

11. Political Security
The political aspect of security has been offered b y
Barry Buzan, Ole Waever, Jaap de Wilde of Copenhagen
School of Thought as an important component of
national security. Political security is about the stability
of the social order . Closely allied to military security
and societal security, other components proposed in
a framework for national security.

12. Economic Security
Economic security contributes to the overall security
in a big way. Without ensuring the economic
security, other forms of security remain incomplete.
The economic security of the people and state is
interdependent. In today’s complex system of
international trade, characterized by multi-national
agreements, mutual inter-dependence and availability
of natural resources etcetera, the freedom to follow
choice of policies to develop a nation’s economy in the
manner desired, forms the essence of economic
security. Economic security calls for an assured basic
income for the people in a state.

13. Energy Security
Energy security and economic security are intrinsically
linked to each other as energy assumes the role of
lifeline for economic security. 85 % of the country’s
estimated 40,000 MW potential remains untapped. At
the level of people, the load shedding of electricity and
gas has created problems for the people of Pakistan.
The provision of these commodities is responsibility of
state. Resources include water, sources of energy, land
and minerals.

14. Diplomacy
Diplomacy is one of the many instruments that a
government utilizes in its pursuit of national interests.
It never functions in isolation from the other
instruments of national power but at times may be
emphasized as the situation warrants. In its simplest
form, diplomacy is the official means by which one
state formally deals with other states. Being an
important pillar of statecraft and effective tool
amongst the nations to interact with each other,
this must be effectively and most judiciously
utilized.

15. Media/ Information Base
Being the 4thpillar of state, it must provide security to
the state against all external and internal anti-state
narratives and themes. It is this ability of the media
that makes it fight on conceptual, psychological and
ideological planes. If media is effective, proactive and
responsible, it will augment national spirit and societal
bondages. On the contrary, it will weaken the social/
national fiber by spreading more chaos and confusion.

16. Wholesome View of Security
It is critical to view national security in a holistic
manner. A host of significant threats to the state and
society stem from other forms of security in addition to
Human Security. Dr. Sania Nishtar has given out several
forms of security in addition to the traditional security.
Traditional security relates to the security of nation
state centered on ensuring survival through use of
economic, political and military power and through
adroit diplomacy.

17. Human Security
One of the important dimensions of national
security is human security which is slightly a
departure from other forms of the traditional security
focusing on the state. Human security has the people
as its primary focus. Human security has multiple
dimensions i.e. economic security, food security, water
security, personal security, community security,
environmental and Health Security.

18. Food Security
Food security entails that all people of a particular
state at all times have easy access to basic food.
According to the United Nations, the overall availability
of food is not a problem; rather the problem often is
the poor distribution of food and a lack of purchasing
power prevailing amongst the people.

19. Health Security
Health Security covers assurance of minimum
protection from diseases and unhealthy lifestyles.
According to the United Nations, in both developing
and industrial countries, threats to health security are
usually more for poor people in rural areas,
particularly children. The threats include the dangers
emerging from emerging and re-emerging infections
and public health emergencies of national and
international concern. Non provision of health security
is due to malnutrition and insufficient access to
health services.

20. Environmental Security
Environmental security is linked with energy, food and
water security. Environmental hazards accentuate the
problems of the people in relation to health, food
and energy security of the people. Environmental
security aims to protect people from the consequences
of nature, man-made threats in nature, and
deterioration of the natural environment. Global
warming, caused by the emission of greenhouse gases,
is another environmental security problem.

21. Personal Security
Personal security can be defined as set of several
things. “Personal security is the feeling of being secure,
having a personal or residential security system, or
being aware of your surroundings. Personal security
guarantees the subject people from physical violence,
both from the state or external actors, from domestic
abuse, or from predatory adults. At large the common
cause of personal insecurity is due to crimes especially
violent crimes.

22. Community Security
Community security aims to protect people, their
families and belongings as a shared responsibility.
The community seeks to protect itself against any kind
of violence stemming from ethnic and sectarian
angles. Normally minority ethnic and sectarian
groups are often threatened. It is the state
responsibility to provide security to all communities
irrespective of their size and strength.

23. Political Security
Political security is about honouring the basic human
rights of the people by the state. According to a survey
conducted by Amnesty International, political
repression, systematic torture, ill treatment or
disappearance was still practiced in 110 countries.
Human rights violations are most frequent during
periods of political unrest.

24. Question
&
Answer

25. Thank You for your
Precious Time