WE talk a lot about national security, borders, geopolitics and external threats.
However, the gravest danger lies not outside, but within our own borders. True security is about protecting people, and ensuring that they are well-fed and healthy.
According to Global Report on Food Crisis 2025, a staggering 2.1 million children aged under five years were identified within a short five-month period as acutely malnourished, particularly in Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). These are not just numbers. They represent immense suffering of families struggling for survival.
While the national leadership navigates complex international power games, a silent humanitarian emergency is getting worse at home. How can we prioritise diplomatic manoeuvres when millions are facing immediate hunger? What good is a strong state if its youngest citizens are starving? It is time to expand our definition of national security. Beyond borders and defence, food security, child health and the dignity of feeding one`s family are fundamental to a secure nation.
Ignoring this internal crisis actually means putting at risk something far more valuable than political grandstanding.
