SECURITY AND DEFENCE PROBLEMS OF PAKISTAN

DEFENCE NOTES

Pakistan's domestic environment has become increasingly degraded in terms of economic, social and internal security during the last ten years. The common man wants economic security ie the money he earns sustains him and his family. The youth educated or illiterate want jobs, the employees and workers want job security. The people must not live in fear. National economy has been destroyed by massive pilferage of banks and DFI's loan defaulting, non-payment of taxes and utility bills, and outright rip-offs of national wealth by greedy and corrupt influentials, rulers, bureaucrats and officials. The people were silent spectators to the loot and plunder of the last few years which made the country nearly insolvent. This situation must be corrected. The stolen wealth and loans be recovered, and people be forced to pay taxes and utility bills. Economic development is a fundamental element of national security. Deterrence and defence is impossible without economic growth. An economically bankrupt and loan ridden and dependent country is susceptible to economic and political exploitation and military aggression. Such a truncated state cannot bear the heavy costs of expensive standing armed forces for long. Assured deterrence and defence capability is impossible without economic growth. If the armed forces become an impossible economic burden, then something is wrong the way that state is being run. All important institutions of the state must develop together in harmony. And this is possible only if the nation state follows a strategy of sustained economic development, and educational and social progress. Defence would be strong and national security assured when the state is politically stable and its economy is robust. The present government has rightly given top priority to economic development. Pakistan has decided to follow a strategy of sustained economic development, with high priority to education and social progress till the year 2010. There are no easy solutions. The government must be supported to attain its economic objectives and goals by every citizen. But the political rulers must curtail waste. To spend one hundred crore rupees on a large hall called convention centre which was used for one day only is a waste. In a situation of recession, and in the face of external and internal threats funds must be conserved and spend wisely. When major institutions are being down sized and right sized, and infrastructure ie roads, railway system, and cities are dilapidated beyond imagination, and WAPDA, PIA, Police, administration and the judicial system have collapsed or are in dire straits, lavishing billions on mega projects proves lack of wisdom and priorities.

Social security includes what I have just stated, plus safety of life, honour and property. The law and order situation in Pakistan has nose-dived during the last ten years. The country has been in the grip of a crime wave for over a decade now. In my view we have become the most criminilized country after Russia. Dacoities, burglaries, thefts, car and motor cycle snatching, sectarian and ethnic massacres, bomb blasts, slaughters of worshippers inside places of worship ie mosques, Imambarghas and grave yards are evidence of total breakdown of administrative and law and order machinery. On Eid day the entire police force and half of the Army had to be deployed to protect the worshippers, who even then were in fear of their lives. If the armed forces have to protect the Masajid then who will defend Pakistan's borders? One had to hear swipes that Muslims are more safe in India than here! This rot has occurred because professionalism and discipline had disappeared from the administration. The system of governance will have to reviewed and renewed. The present centralized system has failed to deliver. A major surgery to cut the existing provinces into twenty administrative divisions with delegation of powers to peoples representatives is one alternative. This will remove provincialism, ethnicism and other prejudices. While there are no divisions among the people, who desire that they be allowed to live in peace and safety, hired killers and murderers are on the rampage. Sectarianism and crime is unabated because the judicial system delays and denies justice, and the criminals are not punished. RAW and enemy intelligence are perpetrating large scale sabotage and subversion. They have a hand in the daily bomb blasts and sectarian slaughters. Law and order agencies ie the police is insufficient, and neither trained nor equipped to handle terrorist attacks, or apprehend terrorists after the event. The people are living in fear. And as and when a criminal is apprehended , he is not punished. Hundreds of terrorists and murderers who were given death sentences, and whose appeals have been rejected by the High Courts have not been hanged. A government which is unable to punish criminals in fact stokes criminality. The domestic environment is becoming dangerously corrosive and is becoming a threat to national security. National security demands good administration and law and order capability which can contain the existing disorder and criminality. That the armed forces have to protect Namazis and conduct census is a clear proof of the total breakdown of civil administration. The elected government with its massive mandate must be helped to put things back on track. But the rulers will have to wake up before it is too late.

Discussion of the prospects of ensuring national security entails an understanding of enemy's war strategy and concept of operations. Indian military planners like their counter-parts in Pakistan have always planned, advocated and opted for a short swift war. In spite of larger resources and geographical depth Indian strategists are averse to the idea of prolonged attrition, and loss of territory from a long war. In fact all military planners, and Pakistani military planners are no exception, aim for short and swift decisive battles. Nukes will bring an abrupt end to any future Indo-Pak war. Conventional battles as before will be fought in Kashmir and along the border belt. Such a war scenario demands that highly mobile volunteer forces from border cities, towns and villages be created to reinforce the standing army. Local youths will fight better for their hearths and homes. I have advocated the concept of Peoples Army for a long time, to motivate and discipline the youth. There are bright prospects of ensuring national security by putting the economy back on track. If the planned reforms succeed, and the industry starts ticking once again, and the valuable and trainable human resources can be mobilized motivated and disciplined by quality education, and governance is honest and administration and authority is decentralized, there will be no reason to despair. The Pakistani nation can rise to great heights of achievement under honest and dedicated leadership.