Defending Pakistan

dear Pakistanis

hi ! I am an Indian and I found the article quite interesting.from the replies and from the article,its quite obvious that u guys think that India wants Pakistan destroyed.The Indian point of view is quite the same in the sense that we think Pakistan does not want India to prosper ,it wants to break up India by encouraging terrorist movements in Kashmir,Punjab ,NorthEast etc.

The nuclear tests which have already taken place have added a new dimension to the conflict.

I would like to tell all the people who read this ``India will never ever indulge in a nuclear attack against Pakistan``We conducted the nuclear tests because 99 % of the indian population wanted it and we didn`t like the idea of the west telling us what to do an what not to do.Those of u who watch tv must have seen jubilant crowds burning US flags

On the other hand,indians who watched tv saw pakisani crowds burn indian flags.

India and pakistan have thousands of years of common history.it is sad that the last 50 years have been so bitter that the two countries hate each other .

somehow i feel that the indian sub-continent is cursed.Poverty,illiteracy,terrorism,over population,environmental degradation.religious fanaticism,a bankrupt political leadership-u name all the evils of the world an we have it.

on top of it, neighbours u dont wanna live with.

it is said the days on which India an pakistan were created was considered inauspicious by the astrologers.``days cursed by the stars``

will anyone out there disagree with me ?

Hello Neighbours,

As an Indian, I was very happy that India tested the nuclear devices. However, I am suprised why you guys cannot understand that the majr threat to India`s security is from China. Please don`t get me wrong, and I don`t want to ruffle any feathers when I say that India does not need nuclear weapons to defend itself from Pakistan.

As a couple of you have mentioned, India does have more resources and hence access to more conventional weapons, than Pakistan could ever have.

I mean if Pakistan had exploded the bomb, before India did, and cited that it felt threathened from India, then I could easily understand. So why is it so difficult to understand India`s position ?

I also want to take this opportunity to inform my dear neighbours, about certain truths about muslims in Inda. You see, its human nature to point out all the follies of a person or a country without considering the achievements. Did you people ever consider, that despite having an overwhelming majority of Hindus, India choose to remain secular. Is there any country in the world that has a overwhelming muslim population, and yet it chooses to be secular ? If so please post it, cause I would reallly like to know.

You guys just heard about one Babri majsid, and deemed the whole country to be fanatical. Did you even pause to consider, that India has made special laws for its muslim subjects, that preserve the muslim culture. Muslims in India, DO NOT follow the India Civil Code, they follow the Muslim civil Code.

There is no other minority which enjoys such a status. Muslims in India, enjoy rights that are not given even to the Hindus. The Hindu Marriage and Succession law was changed, however no one touched the Muslim law of divorce, despite a lot of resentment from Muslim woman, who suffer, because of that law.

What is the point of all this, with respect to the current topic, ie the Defence of Pakistan ? The point is that a lot of Pakistanis look at India, as a Hindu state, that is waiting to take over your nation. This perception is propogated by the media of the country. However the ground realities are in fact very different. And once there realities are looked at, a lot of Pakistanis will change their hostile attitudes towards India, thereby reducing tension. Once this happens, Pakistan and India need not spend bilions of dollars, buying/creating weapons of war.

Sincerely,

Anshu Dewan

A very good article indeed. Mr.Amir does a good job of giving those people an answer who say that Pakistan is spending too much money on defence.

Bye Bye

I would like to say that pakistan is hell bent on destroying itself by trying to compete with india in defense and is possible other fields. It is possible with the size, economy under present circumstances. Certainly no, Does Pakistan`s GDP will improve ten fold or its going to alleviate it poverty if it annexes Kashmir, No. Does pakistan`s economy going to change substantially if it controls the access to Central Asia, No. No Company would like to build a gas or oil pipe line unless and until it ships a subtantial amount to India. Equally the trade isn`t going to be substantial. The unruly people of Afghan who couldn`t be civilized for centuries is going to be civilized by pakistan on the name of islam, no. Pakistan knows it very well that it couldnot compete with india under any circumstances then why are these demagogues bent on preaching the poor people against India. All I want to say is that its high time that we should wake up from hibernation and live in the real world and bring the country to prosperity.

Bismillahirrahmaanirraheem

Abdul

Dear Sir:

Your in-depth analysis is indeed inspiring. There is no denying the fact that Pakistan`s war will be a defensive war and hence must emphasize credible, efficient, and accurate delivery systems. While the citizen`s concern about expenditures on defense is understandable, the former`s perception of the military-industrial complex is incomplete and incorrect. The question to ask is whether the benefits accruing from investing in these technologies and capabilities is greater than the costs over the long run? While a closed defense industry`s benefits over the short-term may be questionable, an open, competitive military industrial development complex has the power to generate spillovers that can vastly and powerfully influence the civilian sector for the better. While my argument is a laymen`s one, vast crossovers in technologies between the civilian and military sectors are evident in all developed economies: The same factories that produced consumer goods were geared to produce war supplies in times of need and in times of peace military supply factories are transformed into those producing nonmilitary goods. Lastly, ethics and morals aside, the products of the military-industrial complex are no different than products produced in any other sector of the economy and hence capable of earning economic rents. The current regime`s stand on R&D is encouraging and hopefully a budding one. The military industrial complex, if capable of earning a postive return, keeping in mind the tremendous beneficial spillovers it can create, is and will not be a wasted effort. Thank you for a vastly informative article.

Nice piece, but lets not forget that military power is based on ECONOMIC POWER. And that means rooting out corruption, and recovering looted national wealth, and creating an atmosphere conducive to foreign investment i.e an end to sectarian and religious violence, the culture of intolerance and bigotry.

There is no denying Pakistan`s armed forces need better, newer equipment, especially modern medium-higher altitude SAMs like the Crotale NG, and a fighter in the class of the Grippen (costs about $25 million a piece) to keep up with Indian technological acquisitions. But the country is flat broke and living on international handouts for G-Ds sake. I don`t think its necessary to match India blow for blow or acquisition for acquisition. Pakistan should NOT purchase more low tech planes like the F-7MG (new order for 50 placed recently is enough). You suggested another 150-200 of these birds, even if the avionics etc are Western European. Pakistan needs to acquire around 70 Grippen (4th Generation fighter) to replace the canceled order for the F-16s (Grippen is WAY more capable, and costs just as much as the F-16s were going to cost THEN), not a `heavy, long range strike aircraft` like the SU-27. Mirage 2000-5 is way too expensive, forget about this plane. The FC-1 really needs to start being manufactured soon. 100-150 of these planes, equipped to fire the 500 Aim-7 Sparrows in the PAFs inventory would still be an improvement in the PAFs capability. I agree the PAF sorely needs to acquire a missile to match the capabilities of the AA-10 Alamo.

I am not aware that the PAF has attempted to build an AAM. But, with Chinese help I think Pakistan and China can build a version comprable

to the Tomahawk cruise missiles in performance within the next 7-10 years. How? Well, Pakistan recovered intact U.S Tomahawks that lost their way over the featureless dessert terrain of Pakistan when the U.S fired Tomahawks at Osma Bin Laden in Afghanistan. These missiles are being taken apart in Pakistani R&D establishments even today. I`m sure Chinese guidence systems and missile experts are keen on and are already collaborating with Pakistani scientists in deciphering the secrets of the guidence system of latest version of Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Amir,

I should appreciate that this paper of yours is a good try, but remians to be part factual, part emotional, and part opinion, and part thoretical.

It seems to me that not only are you a high proponent of indigenous production, you also support a conflict with India (Pak Platform vs. Ind. Platform).

It si one thing to say that Indian navy has aircraft carriers and harriers, Dehli destroyers etc, and another to find out their operational status.

Also, it is not as easy as one two three to install a land based SSM on to a naval ship, and there are a lot of issues involved.

India did lease a charlie class from Russia(INS chakra) but they still remain far from testing or inducting a Nuclear submarine, due to reactor development hurdles.

It is not that easy to pursue Ukraine or CA states for arms, as they use russian parts. Also, Grippen uses a GE engine, and they can`t export it till an American license is granted.

I hate to object further, but military feasibility, procurement, and acquisition is not as easy as you might think it is. Russia might be cash stripped, but they are not in the market for us.

Instead of doing so much research on how to compete with Indian. It will be highly appreciable if you concentrate your effort on how to improve your economy. Pakistan is what it is today is mostly because of lots of western aid. A country of the size but less populated than UP has an external debt of $33 Billion. Forget about the non-refundable aids. These aids are drying up and it will be highly difficult for pakistan to repay these loans. After 50 ys of independence pakistan is not able to feed its population, Why? Having 8 times more population than that India has done so. Even though you guys don`t seem to understand India. As time goes by It will be difficult for pakistan to compete with. India is 4th largest economic power in terms with PPP. In another 20 years It will be 3rd or close to Japan. Even if India spents 5% of GDP on Defense, it will be more than the GDP of Pakistan. All I want to say is that Pakistan will be ruined if it maintains this attitude. India has no enemity with pakistan. Kashmir is just an excuse for Pakistan to keep engaged with India. I don`t believe at all that if India hands over Kashmir to Pakistan on a silver platter. Pakistan will start behaving like a good neighbour. Not at all. It will immediatly find another excuse. Pakistanis are obsessed with their past that Gazni, Babar or Ghouri had successfully invaded and ruled India, so why can`t we with the western weapons. But my friends those days were different. Today its not going to work. So, all I would suggest is ``Change your basic attitude towards India``.

Jai Hind