Pre-Eid Fireworks in Pakistan

Correction:


In my response earlier, I was being overly optimistic and naive, when I said that perhaps Pakistan would ``STOP`` spending the 6% of GNP it had budgeted for military expnditure (it could well be a lot more now, as the figure was from 1994), What I meant to say was that the Pakistani Government should drastically try to ``REDUCE`` the military expenditure, in the light of this Equaliser, Alias Ghauri......

Dear Friends on Chowk,

I suppose some sort of congratulations are in order for the persistence of the Military research and development, (if Ghauri is indeed our own creation, and not imported from China, with the outer Vessel painted with Made In Pakistan, as the numerous Indian Agents one finds in ever increasing numbers on the Society Culture Pakistan)...I am proud of this achievement as a Pakistani, but not so proud as a humantarian interested in the betterment of our status in the world as a third world nation of crooks and criminals, the harsh realities disguised under one word,,, Terrorist State to watch out for!!!

I was appalled to see so much negative publicity about the Ghauri business, on the side of our ever-supporting and well wishing neighbours, specially on the newsgroups..... All I shall say to it, is that it is an ``Equaliser of odds``, favouring the Pakistani nation, living in such proximity to one of its arch rivals, and fiendish opposition... thats all.. now that both these countries, on a verge of self destruction, have the means to do so, in equitable terms, perhaps some sense would prevail in both Islamabad and Delhi, and maybe the peace would rule after all....

Here is to hoping for peace... in these troubled times, But having said this, i would expect the government to stop spending the 6 % of GNP (1994 figure from Encyclopædia Britannica) on military and defence purposes, compared to the meagre 3% a western nation spends, with theri multi billion dollar GNP. This is indeed an outrageous amount of spending,,, and is being done at gargantuan opportunity costs,and perhaps a reallocation of crucial, and paltry foreign exchange reserves etc., we do have, into funding for the much needed social and economic reforms, in the areas of education, social welfare, law, treatment and betterment of status of women and children in our society, medical facilities, Provision of jobs scenario,an awareness of other religiosn and their tolerant acceptance, reduction of violent and dastardly attacks on innocent civilians in the name of ethnic strife, ä stricter control over drugs and their logistics through pakistani ports into industrialised countries, deregulation and breaking off the shackles of feudal slavery, .... to name a few outstanding issues yet to be tackled with any conviction, or resoluteness, in my country fifyty painful years on, in the name of progress and civilised humanitarian concerns...

Is there anubody out there, who is listening, is there anybody who cares enough!!!!!to see the above materialising into reality....

Kind Regards

Asim

Adil Khan, I couldn`t agree with you more. My sentiments exactly.

This is a great achievement of Pakistani scientists. The design, fabrication and launch of a long range delivery vehicle is not a trivial task. It requires a unison of many different technical disciplines. I think Pakistan has a lot to be proud of!

Although this development accelerates the arms race in the sub-continent, I think there is no other choice for Pakistan either. It is facing a much larger adversary who has a more sophisticated (and proven) capability of delivering weapons of mass destruction over long distances. For Pakistan, who is the lesser of the two in terms of size and resources, there is no other alternative but to respond in kind. India has to first (unilaterally) start reducing its arsenal before it can win over Pakistan`s confidence. To separate this issue from a bigger issue of power imbalance in the sub-continent would not be correct.

I also feel that India is very insecure when it comes to Pakistan, I guess because of the diverse mosaic of cultures and ethnicities that compose it. This is ridiculous. India is clearly the dominant power in the area. Therefore it should abandon its policies of confrontation with Pakistan.

I hope that India will not get carried away in its own wave of religious fundamentalism and realize that its hegemonistic plans are detrimental to the stability of the entire region.

I have to say that it is a big achievment. I am sure that an arms race will result unfortunatly, unlike what thespokesman said. So I have mixed feeling about it, a technical success, but not a social/political one?

The crux of the matter is who benefits from enhanced militarisation in Pakistan & India? Who benefits MOST when contentious issues of the region are NOT resolved?
Who will suffer most if there is a period of continuous peace in the region?

The Pardesi Pakistanis can intelligently discuss these issues without coercion. And in the process, hopefully, help mould the public opinion in Pakistan.

It is strange, no, that we spend our lives killing each other for our tombs, for won`t we spend more time beneath the ground that we fight for than above it?