Pakistan faces a serious threat from India. Since its inception, Pakistan has faced perpetual threats from the east. Kashmir has been the major cause of the dispute between the two neighboring countries. There have been three major wars between Pakistan and India over Kashmir. India is also responsible for the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, and Bangladesh was created. The Kargil war in 1999 and the misadventure by India in February 2019, compel Pakistan to have a strong army to the deterrence of Indian threats. Afghanistan have also been hosting and facilitating the terrorists in past which have been using their land to carry on their activities against Pakistan. A strong military helps Pakistan to preserve its hard-earned independence and sovereignty. Without a strong military, Pakistan would have never been a free state. Moreover, Pakistan is facing the threat of terrorism since the war on terror started by the US in 2001. To deal with the menace of terrorism, the Pakistan army had to launch large military operations in tribal areas and Swat. Despite meager resources at its disposal, the Pakistan army defeated terrorism. To cope with the threats of terrorism, Pakistan requires a strong army to ensure the safety of its citizens and sovereignty. The contemporary new wave of terrorism requires a strong army to deal with it with an iron hand.
Furthermore, the Pakistan army has been always at the front in a time of natural disasters. During the 2005 earthquake, major relief operations were conducted by Pakistan Army. Likewise, the Pakistan army played an important role in evacuating people during the 2010 and 2022 floods. There is no denying the fact that the army has played a major role in the time of national emergencies. Indeed, Pakistan Army has always safeguarded the nation in times of both man-made and natural crises. These are just few reasons among many other which multiplies the need of having a well equipped and professional army for Pakistan.
It is said by our enemies that since the past years, Pakistan’s defense expenditure has always been on an increase and on the higher end. Then these elements says that even though Pakistan’s fragile economy has been unable to support it, the military spending in Pakistan has been at the cost of development expenditure. While, as mentioned above, for Pakistan the reasons behind having a reasonable defense spending are the security threat from India, risk factor from Afghanistan, cope with natural disasters and domestic factors such as societal violence, terrorism and sectarianism etc. Anti State elements say that in Pakistan the military enjoys immense control over the decision-making process in Pakistan and, thus, the defense budget has been prioritized over the social sector. According to these elements, this is evident in the form of the retarded growth of the social sector in Pakistan. They say that an increasing non-development budget has also entailed huge cuts in the development budget and, thus, has badly affected Pakistan’s economy. Initially, the declining development budget was financed through debt. Consequently, debt repayment and debt servicing increased the non-development budget. With the progression of time, borrowing financed the non-development budget also. Currently, Pakistan is in a position where new loans are being acquired to repay the old ones. These few elements claim that the defense expenditure has added to the miseries of Pakistan in a spiraling manner.
Propaganda machines of our enemies says that a heavy debt burden, rising inflation and a nation starving for development mark the economy of Pakistan, but it continues to focus on an ever-increasing defense expenditure. They say that Pakistan has always accorded priority to territorial security as compared to social and economic security, using the argument that it is military strength and stability that can ensure the overall security of the country.
Readers, these were baseless and false propaganda from our enemies and Anti- State elements. Now come to the real picture. I have got the exact details from reliable sources and some media reports. The budget document showed that defense outlay for 2023-24 would be Rs. 1,804 billion compared to the revised defense spending of Rs. 1,591 billion earmarked for the outgoing fiscal year. Observers believe 15.7 per cent increase is justified given a record inflation and devaluation of rupee against the dollar in the last year. According to the budget document 2023-24, out of Rs1,804 billion, Rs705 billion have been allocated for employees related expenses, Rs442 billion for operating expenses, Rs461 billion for local purchases and import of arms and ammunition and Rs195 billion for civil works. Interestingly, all three services—the army, navy and air force—were given an equal increase in the budget, although the army takes the major share given its size and the role.
Pakistan’s defense spending is now 1.7 per cent of its GDP, showing a decline compared to last year. The defense spending in 2022-23 was around 2 per cent of the country’s GDP, the size of which has grown due to the rebasing of the economy.
On an average Pakistan spends $13,400 per soldier, India $42,000, Saudi Arabia $371,000, Iran $23,000 while the United States allocates $392,000 per soldier annually. Pakistan spends less on defense in comparison to other regional states. Arch rival of Pakistan, India spent $72.6 billion on its defense. Likewise, Saudi Arabia spends $55 billion on its defense. China spends $293 and Iran $24 billion. In comparison to all these countries, Pakistan spends only $11 billion on its defense.
It is again to answer to propaganda machines of our enemies and Anti- State elements that Pakistan’s defense budget as a percentage of GDP and total national budget has fallen to its lowest level in decades. The defense budget for the new fiscal year 2023-24 has come down to 1.7 percent of GDP from 6.5 percent in the 70s. Pakistan’s defense expenditure is 22% less than the global average rate. Enemy country India has allocated 72 billion dollars annually for its defense, compared to this; Pakistan has allocated 6.3 billion dollars in the new financial year, which is 1.7% of the GDP. If we look at the defense expenditure of the last 6 years, Pakistan’s defense budget has decreased from 10.2 billion dollars to 6.3 billion dollars in terms of dollars, while India has increased by 35% in the same 6 years.
These facts and figures explain that Pakistan spends very less on its military. The difference, however, between Pakistan and other countries is that the size of their economies is far bigger than Pakistan. Defense spending has always been the subject of discussions with some seeking greater transparency and open debate about the military’s budget. In recent years, the government provides more details about the defense budget. However, there has never been open debate within the parliament on the subject due to sensitiveness of the issue. Observers believe that the increase in the defense budget is justified given the impending external and internal security challenges. Despite the US troops withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan, Pakistan still deploys thousands of troops along the western border as well as in the erstwhile tribal areas to deal with the threat of terrorism. Similarly, the tensions between Pakistan and India still persist, although restoration of ceasefire has brought some respite.
Readers, the substantial reduction in Pakistan’s defense budget is alarming, but despite this, Pakistan’s armed forces are facing the biggest challenge, demonstrating their full potential with limited resources. All propaganda and speculations about a huge defense budget is totally wrong and baseless. Whole nation is proud to say that Pakistani Army is tackling with all internal and external threats. Undoubtedly, our armed forces are providing best and professional defense services to the country at nominal expenses.