In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, national security faces multifaceted challenges ranging from geopolitical tensions to cybersecurity threats and domestic issues such as terrorism and social unrest. In view of such challenges, there is an imperative to revisit the concept of ‘Comprehensive National Security’ and explore strategies and policies implemented by various countries to enhance their national security. There is also a need to promote awareness and public understanding of national security issues and the role of citizens in supporting security initiatives. In order to address this need, CASS organised a Catalyst Conversation on ‘Comprehensive Security 2.0: Towards a Holistic Approach for a Dynamic Future’ aimed at refreshing our understanding of national security and exploring contemporary models of national security. The conversation re-examined the concept of comprehensive national security, explored various countries’ strategies to enhance their security, and promoted public awareness of national security issues and the role of citizens in supporting security initiatives. The keynote speaker was Major General Muhammad Khalil Dar (Retd), Vice Chancellor of Lahore Garrison University, Pakistan. The session was moderated by CASS Director Air Marshal Zahid Mehmood (Retd) and the concluding remarks were delivered by President CASS Air Marshal Javaid Ahmed (Retd).
Share this article
The Extraction Trap
Trump’s declaration to “run Venezuela” after Maduro’s capture is a seeming promise of a sudden cure to Venezuela’s ills. However, it ignores the nation’s terminal diagnosis of a century of plunder. The rhetoric of imminent revival on the basis of the speedy return of international oil capital and the promise of 100 billion US dollars in reconstruction funds made the intervention seem like a unique opportunity.
Future Shield: The Saudi-Pakistan Security Partnership
Although the SDMA does not identify an adversary, effectively functioning as a deterrent, it cannot be viewed in isolation from the Israeli belligerence in the Middle East. Israel’s war against Hamas has expanded beyond the genocide of Gaza; it has bombed the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, and recently Qatar. Tel Aviv’s campaign under the banners of ‘anti-Semitism’ and ‘terrorism’ has engulfed the whole Middle East in a war-like situation, which has generated new enemies and has deepened the instability of the region.
The Trilateral Shift
On 15 January 2026, the Pakistani defence production minister confirmed that an agreement for a new trilateral defence deal between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and TĂ¼rkiye is in the pipeline, other than the Pakistan-Saudi bilateral deal announced last year.
