So does that mean Pakistan wants to be a superpower
@barbarosa ? Let me ask you a question then, why in the world would the Pakistani Government spend a lot of money it can barely afford when that money can be used to educate and raise the living standards of its citizens? You might answer its for deterrent against your neighbor or whatever, but for crying out loud, money doesnt grow on trees in Pakistan. China is an example, before becoming what it is today, it has chosen to invest in educating its people not by arming to the teeth first. I mean I dont think India is going to invade you guys anytime soon with your nukes and all. May I have your take on this one
@Oscar ?
The main problem in Pakistan is not the lack of a budget, but the allocation of funds and corruption. We have no need of certain projects which are more expensive per km then projects like those in the rest of the world.
There are many hospitals, schools and welfare projects which are found on the books but are not really there in reality. The amount found in Baluchistan from someone who is not even that high up in the hierarchy was enough to build 70 primary schools, and that was one person. Another ex minister has a case of 462 billion rupees or about 4.6 billion dollars against him for corruption. These funds were there for improving the life of the common Pakistani but they were used for personal gain.
As for us arming ourselves to the teeth. When our civilians threaten India it makes headline news, but people inside their parliament can go on rambling about funding terrorists against Pakistan, dividing Pakistan into four, or telling their people in their schools that Pakistan is just a failed ideology and that all of the old subcontinent is part of India. Every news channel in India is obsessed with news about how to defeat us in wars, and most training is near our borders, and most tests for missiles are compared to what Pakistan has in their news and how these missiles can destroy Pakistan. All this time Pakistan is busy cleaning terrorist cells, starting from one corner and coming to the other. It is very easy to say do more, but as a military professional, you must understand that we can not start everywhere and expect to properly uproot the problem.
We started from Fata, moved towards Baluchistan and Sindh, and Punjab will come next and there has been news of an imminent operation there. But while we are doing this, all we hear from the other side is hate, divide Pakistan, and what their military superiority means and how they plan to "kill terrorists with terrorists."
These are recorded statements, if you go into the world of intelligence, and where proof is harder to gather read about the claims of our intelligence agencies, and capturing an Indian officer inside Pakistan's troubled province. We do not want war as a nation, but there is only so much rhetoric one can listen to without feeling threatened. India and its nation cries foul when a common civilian talks about hurting India, yet when its leaders do so, the people apparently bury their heads in the sand.
And with changing times, one needs to adapt. I am against spending on nuclear submarines per say, but would rather the current order of submarines from China have vertical launching systems to serve dual purpose instead. But a second strike capability will assure no misadventures occur.
That might have gotten a bit long winded, but one needs to study the country and understand what its priorities are, where the money is actually going, and what are the ground realities.