Columnist M. ZAFAR talks about Pakistani craftsmanship in gun making.

That in land of Ahmed Shah Ahangar whose masterpiece has been on display in Lahore for centuries, exhibition of contemporary indigenous craftsmanship in gun making took so long in coming is a commentary more on lack of opportunity than on technical skills of the people. The three-day show of arms held in Karachi last month should go a long way to reassure the master that his art is alive and that the products of his successors are as awe inspiring as his own pieces were during his time.

Although the exhibition centre was in the heart of the city of Karachi, unfortunately the public was not allowed due to security reasons. Perhaps the organisers missed a chance. These days when expression of fear regarding the future of the country is routine, the show at Gulshan-i-Iqbal could have done wonders to the morale of the people. Just one round of the exhibition ground was enough to convince any Doubting Thomas that the days of a military challenge to Pakistan were gone forever. In the backdrop of Ghouri and Al Khalid, Quaid-e-Azam’s forceful words -Pakistan is here to stay’ ring louder and with added authority. People from all over the country would have loved to flock the pavilions and paid happily for an ecstatic dose of morale.

In one corner of the exhibition ground the guarantors of the security of Pakistan were parked. The weapons of Strategic Command, the Ghouri and the Shaheen are deterrents par excellence. With a reaches well over 1000 kilometers and payloads ranging from 3/4 to over a ton of deadly material the systems have the capability of reaching the heartland of any aggressor. In the conventional field the Al Khalid, the Al Zarrar tanks and M113 P3 Armoured Personnel Carriers are capable of providing unmatched mobility and firepower. A force composed of Khalids and Zarrars and M113 P3s is capable of driving deep wedges in the enemy defences and destroy or disable through firepower and shock action enemy centres of command, communications and logistic support. Bringing these marvellous weapons within the manufacturing capability is a feat of no mean order. The people of Pakistan indeed owe a debt of gratitude to the officers and men of Heavy Industries Taxila and National Defence Complex for having made their country impregnable. Nor will the next generation of commanders of troops of Pakistan have much to complain about the quality of their equipment. They will need to get down and work out doctrines and train their men to create momentum on the field of battle that should be able to overwhelm any resistance.

Early in fifties Khwaja Nazimudin the Governor General of Pakistan laid the foundation stone of Pakistan Ordnance Factory on a barren piece of land some thirty miles from Rawalpindi along the Grand Trunk Road. This was a modest beginning in pursuit of attaining a modicum of self-sufficiency in weapons and munitions of war. In times to come the Armed Forces of Pakistan were able to build naval dockyard at Karachi, PAF Complex at Kamra and Tank Rebuild Factory at Taxila now a part of Heavy Industries Taxila.  These manufacturing giants were able to create a surplus capacity that is now available to the nation for commercial purposes. This may be the soldiers’ way of thanking the nation and to make a humble contribution to the revenues of the nation.

In this background the exhibition was a remarkable success.  It put the country on the map of arms manufacturers. Delegations from more than 40 countries whose combined annual procurement of defence related equipment exceeds $15 billion were attracted to the venue. The quality of the products displayed was more than satisfactory and costs were bound to be competitive. A few purchase proposals were also reportedly discussed. However, Pakistan has a long way to go in the field and what it needs now is to be a little more target specific and concentrate on the typical requirement of the potential customers. Countries in the Gulf, South East Asia and Africa who are sure to explore the possibilities of business in the field would seem to be interested in light air and naval patrol craft to check illegal movement of men and materials. Radar, surveillance and communications equipment, bridge layers and mechanical tracks for improvement of cross-country mobility would also attract them. Demining devices would immensely interest countries like Afghanistan and Cambodia. Items of riot control equipment including light armoured wheeled and tracked vehicles, fire resistant uniforms, bulletproof jackets and shields and helmets, fire-extinguishing equipment, light carbines, revolvers and pyrotechnic pistols are needed everywhere. With a bit of research and aggressive marketing Pakistan may succeed beyond expectation.

However, by way of last word the necessity of keeping up cannot be overemphasized. This field requires continuous research and leadership of visionaries as opposed to the normal run of the officers. You cannot sustain for long on the basis of transferred technologies. You have to create your technology and be prepared to carry the burden of research and innovation. A certain amount of cultural change in the defence establishment and active association of centres of learning and universities will be necessary.

In the exhibition ground one could not miss the prominence with which the products from the tribal territory of Darra Adam Khel were exhibited. It did make the point of us having a tradition in gun making but at this point of time what kind of political message it would have sent to the western world who talk incessantly about Pakistan being the logistical base of violent movements in the region leaves one wondering.