Author(s): Talha Ali Khawaja
This paper argues for Pakistan’s urgent need to broaden its national security focus to include non-traditional threats, specifically emphasizing the role of lawfare as a critical area of concern. The March 18th speech by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa marks a progressive step, yet it must be accompanied by concrete strategies and actions to counteract lawfare effectively. The concept of lawfare—using legal means to undermine a nation’s sovereignty and security—has proven to be highly damaging, as evidenced by the impact of U.S. actions in Abu Ghraib and Russia's tactics against Ukraine. Through this analysis, the paper illustrates how India’s deliberate and systematic use of lawfare seeks to destabilize Pakistan, targeting projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), promoting terrorism and insurgency, and pushing Pakistan further into scrutiny under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). The findings sufficiently address the research questions and conclude that lawfare poses a significant threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty, warranting its prioritization within the country’s national security strategy.