Daily Times

Pakistan’s military is the only actor in most of the today’s pressing security challenges because it has been facing these issues from last many decades. Pakistan’s military has been simultaneously combating the ferocious internal insurgency, revolts and suppress international terrorist groups. This is the only real institution that respondsin the worst flood, earthquake or any other problem that affect from last 70 years. The region is strategically complex because we have at our borders and the main rival is India. In such difficult conditions, this is Pakistan’s army that has been protecting and securing the sovereignty of the state.

Being the strongest organ of the state, army has an influence on Pakistan’s foreign policy and its internal politics. It has analysed that corruption is existed in most of the public institutions and the politicians protect the corrupt and crooked people so army must intervene in to curb this menace. This is the transparent institution and has a clear vision to promote the safety and security of the public. Nothing is wrong that they influence the governmental policies because they are the well wisher of our homeland.

Many so called scholar call them ‘FA Pass’ and how they canintervene in public policy development. For those, army has a mechanism of training , education and learning within the institution, so all army officer are well trained, educated and even they have many foreign trainings related to devise the policies and administrative strategies. No doubt in it, the army officers have more administrative skills than others. If we look at the national and multinational organizations, they also prefer to hire retired army officer, you know why because they are more disciplined, regimented, honest and good administrator as well.

Army has been battling viciousand nasty domestic adversaries who have killed many civilians and targeted the whole nation. Furthermore they are putting efforts to repress international terrorist groupswho are funded by our rival India. Furthermore, Pakistan’s armed forces manage the world’s fastest-growing nuclear armory amidst significant concerns about its safety and security because there is a domestic insurgency existed in the form of non state actors funded by the rival and foreign organizations to destroy our nuclear weapons. Pakistan army is in the flux of strategic competition with all powerful states including India and USA. The safety and protection of the nuclear weapons is as important as to be alive. Pakistan is the only Muslim Nuclear state so the powers of the world want to demolish our nuclear programs but due to our strong and dedicated army; we and our nuclear program is safe and secure.

A debate about the ‘military spending’ has created hype due to vague and false statistics at social media. According to the real statistics, Pakistan’s defence budget is 3% of its total GDP. In this 3% they manage all their activities and operations. This is not fair to manipulate the statistics of defence budget. It is quite expensive to maintain advanced military as war can be pricier than ensuring the state’s defence power. State security and safety, and the development of economic upliftment options are also indispensible. India, China, USA and many other countries have been spending much more on their defence. So, in this scenario, Pakistan is spending less on defence that is even less than India.

Technologically advanced military forces could have the ability to serve as players in assigning states a higher role in the international hierarchical structure, thus providing them with greater political influence in the political arena

Due to the dynamic, uncertain and unpredictable strategic climate of the world, military spending is imperative for Pakistan. Security tribulations in Pakistan have becomecomplexasjuxtaposed and contrasted with inter-state border challenges, intra-state socio-religious and ethnic conflict and war against radicalised insurgent groups in Pakistan and across the region, terrorist organizations, syndicates, and the brim over effects of protracted asymmetric warfare in Afghanistan. The larger states in the region are China and India, due to their military, geography, natural features and demography. The predominant and principal geopolitical location of India in the region that shares borders with many South Asian states aflame its desire to be a powerful state or the region’s “big brother.” With ample military ability and ‘strategic will,’ China and Pakistan have dissuaded such hegemonic Indian designs.

Classical economists like Adam Smith acknowledged: “The sovereign’s first responsibility to protect society from other societies’ aggression and inequality is steadily expanding as society progresses in civilization.” Throughout Pakistan’s history, it has been acknowledged that every government’s primeresponsibility is to build its forces in order to make sure its national survival, sovereignty, control and focus on its national interest. Pakistan geo-strategic location is the important to explore the need of strong armed forces. So the defence budget must be considered the influential and indispensable to meet the requirements of the region. Pakistan army is the strongest organ and this is the only institution that is protecting Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Conservative military strategy analysts argue that sustaining an appropriately sized, trained, and well equipped military force capable of deterring, dissuading, and, if possible, overcoming a diverse range of potential adversaries is a realistic approach to national security. According to this view, all other diplomatic, developmental and monetary achievements seem fragile when military stability is undermined.

It is important to analyse that improving infrastructure and its effects due to which military expenses will indirectly contribute to the economic betterment of states by the development of public infrastructure and mega projects such as highways, bridges, railways , canals, dams, airports and other engineering projects of alternative civilian use.

In addition, technologically advanced military forces could have the ability to serve as players in assigning states a higher role in the international hierarchical structure, thus providing them with greater political influence in the political arena.

Military has the greatest interest in national survival in developing countries, and has gradually become a player in national governance and politics due to massive corruption and malpractice. Military-related institutions in Pakistan, including the Fauji Foundation, the Shaheen Foundation, the Bahria Foundation, the Army Welfare Trust, and DHA have employed civilians in addition to retired military personnel, and are also engaged in programmes of social uplift, including the establishment of educational institutions, health facilities, etc., thereby helping Pakistan develop its economy. Military as also invested in industries such as cement and fertiliser, building works, electronics, and electrical industries, etc.The ultimate objective is to make Pakistan self-reliant and saving foreign exchange, these factories meet the needs of the civilian economy, thus reducing the import burden to boost Pakistan’s economy. All military related institutions in Pakistan are transparent and accountable.

The overall rise in the South Asian states’ defence budget since 1990 can be due to the changed perceptions of security in the post-Cold War period, with Pakistan and India’s defence budgets steadily multiplying. Despite these trends, in comparison to other states in the region, Pakistan’s military spending remains low.

Nasir Khan (Ph.D. Scholar in Media and Crime, CSS Coach and author of different books on International Relations, Criminology and Gender Studies) fastian.mentor@gmail.com