Sada-e-Watan
Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
H.E. Fauzia Nasreen Presented National Security Lectures at the University of Canberra
In 2010 the National Security Institute at the University of Canberra is conducting a monthly National Security Lecture Series. As part of the Lecture Series an Ambassador, High Commissioner or senior government official will present their views on National Security. The focus of the Lecture Series will be on engaging with the student and academic body at the University of Canberra. Come along and ask questions and become involved with the people who help secure and defend Australia. Find out what they think and let them know what you think. Members of the public are also invited to attend. The Sixth Lecture was presented by Her Excellency Fauzia Nasreen, High Commissioner for Pakistan at the University of Canberra, Boiler House Lecture Theatre on Friday 30 July 2010.
About the Speaker
Her Excellency Fauzia Nasreen holds a Masters of Arts Degree in English Literature and a Masters Degree in Defence & Strategic Studies. She joined the Foreign Services of Pakistan in 1973 and has served in Tehran, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Rome. She has been Director General at the Foreign Services Academy of Pakistan and a Member of the Directing Staff at the National Defence College of Pakistan from 1997 to 1999. She has been Ambassador to Nepal, Poland and High Commissioner to Fiji. She was appointed as the High Commissioner to Australia in early 2010. She has arrived in Australia at a critical time in the relationship between the two countries. Australia is heavily involved in Afghanistan and has begun to take steps to support Pakistan’s efforts to combat violent extremism. This includes increasing military exchanges between the two countries and holding the inaugural Pakistan Australia Security Dialogue last month in Australia. This dialogue was attended by Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Kayani who was in Australia on a five day official visit. Local Australian Media & Mr. Philp Dorling covers the Lecture of H.E.Fauzia Nasreen in The Canberra Times.
Pakistan's High Commissioner to Australia has strongly defended her country's determination to suppress terrorism. The High commissioner Fauzia Nasreem's assertions follow allegations in leaked United States military reports that Pakistan's military intelligence agency has been guiding and supporting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. Ms Fauzia Nasreem's spirited defence of her Government's efforts to suppress Taliban insurgents came in a national security lecture at the University of Canberra. H.E.Fauzia Nasreen highlighted the deployment of more than 140,000 Pakistani troops to ''clear and hold'' remote and inhospitable areas along Pakistan's 2612km-long border with Afghanistan.
''So far, the price paid in terms of casualties is 30,475,'' she said. ''Out of which 8785 casualties have been suffered by the military and 21,672 by the civilians.''
HC Fauzia Nasreen drew a comparison between the 1582 combat deaths suffered by United States and other international forces in Afghanistan, and more than 2273 Pakistani military and security personnel killed in operations against insurgents in their own country. ''The financial cost has been roughly estimated at $43 billion,'' she said.
Her remarks came against the backdrop of intense controversy surrounding the publication by the WikiLeaks whistleblower network of a compendium of classified US military reports on the war in Afghanistan. Numerous reports between 2004 and 2009 contain allegations that Pakistani military intelligence the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence has aided the Taliban. The allegations have been strongly disputed by the Pakistani Government, which claims that anti-Pakistan bias of Afghan Government security officials skewed US military reporting.
