During British rule a term was coined “martial race” and it was suggested that people from northern Punjab and KP belonged to that race. This was the area which provided bulk of British Indian army recruited from the sub continent. Pakistan was formed but the policy was not reversed, so much so Potohar alone (rawalpindi, chakwal, attock, jehlum) contributes more than 60 percent of Pakistan army. From KP the recruitment was done in those areas which are the extension of potohar (like hazara district and kohat) and Azad Kashmir.
It’s good that the army has started diversifying since 2001, but what took them so long? The army is the institute which binds the country together, why does our army represent a few districts of the country?
During British rule a term was coined "martial race" and it was suggested that people from northern Punjab and KP belonged to that race. This was the area which provided bulk of British Indian army recruited from the sub continent. Pakistan was formed but the policy was not reversed, so much so potohar alone (rawalpindi, chakwal, attock, jehlum) contributes more than 60 percent of Pakistan army. From KP it's mostly abbotabad, kohat and Azad Kashmir. The areas of KP from where the army comes are again the extension of potohar. It's good that the army has started diversifying since 2001, but what took them so long? **The army is the institute which binds the country together, **why does our army represent a few districts of the country?
This is not for Pakistan .
Here we face different type of people
Had the army been more representative of other ethnicities within Pakistan, maybe the way balochistan and war on terror has been handled would have been different.
No doubt during history this particular area has produced good soldiers, infact the only resistance in Pakistani Punjab has always come in the jehlum area (Alexander's war with Porus has become a legend). But seeing the short history of Pakistan the decisions made by our army suggest that we definitely need to induct people from all areas, maybe that would bring sanity to the army as well.
The decisions that the army makes should take into account the affect on other ethnicities in the country. We have already lost Bangladesh militarily, fifth operation is going on in balochistan, operation in Karachi, and war on terror in KP. The way the army has attacked whole tribes in Fata during wot, would the reaction have been similar if there were a couple of terrorists in some small village in Punjab?
I don't understand the use of gun ship helicopters and army, where as India is using para military forces and police to counter Maoist insurgency and they didn't use gunships even in the heat in Kashmir.
Had the army been more representative of other ethnicities within Pakistan, maybe the way balochistan and war on terror has been handled would have been different.
Representation disparities in the armed forces are not new. East Pakistan had listed this as an important factor in its charge-sheet against its western partner. Infantrymen of Pakistan Army were all from the West Pakistan. While 5 of 8 battalions were raised in the eastern part of the country, the influence of East Pakistani section and their input in the defence policy of the country was almost nonexistent. Defence budget and allocations of foreign military aid, main offices of the armed forces being in the West Pakistan, remuneration differences and hiring of support staff policy, all went against the West Pakistan. Bengalis also deeply hated the so-called "martial races" theory. And as a matter of fact, this philosophy does not hold much ground.
Till 1956 or 1958, the highest rank a Bengali had in the Pak army was of a brigadier and their representation in almost 900 officers was below 20. Navy and Air Force also had a tiny representation of Bengali men. At the end, it all went against the country.
Situation in Balochistan is comparatively better. We have seen perhaps the most ambitious recruitment drive in Balochistan under Kiyani. I think the trend should continue so that we can see adequate representation of Balochi men in the officer class of the armed forces. That's very important.
^ I agree that the composition has changed a bit during the past few years, but more has to be done to include people from other provinces. Because their presence will force the army to adopt policies which does not trample upon their rights.
^ That's right. The military should be equally or properly represented by every province and ethnicities. Kiyani has been pursuing a more liberal recruitment policy, I hope the drive continues with more steam.
^ Lahore as a city did not have any prominence before the Moghuls, if we go back into history we see Sialkot, Taxila, Jehlum, Charsadda, Swat, Peshawar but no Lahore.
Our problem is this that we are in habit of living in empires .
Pakistan was obtained through democracy and it could survive only with democracy but our forces are forces of British empire and these intermediate pass intellectuals actually can not understand democracy .
During British rule a term was coined "martial race" and it was suggested that people from northern Punjab and KP belonged to that race. This was the area which provided bulk of British Indian army recruited from the sub continent. Pakistan was formed but the policy was not reversed, so much so Potohar alone (rawalpindi, chakwal, attock, jehlum) contributes more than 60 percent of Pakistan army. From KP the recruitment was done in those areas which are the extension of potohar (like hazara district and kohat) and Azad Kashmir.
It's good that the army has started diversifying since 2001, but what took them so long? The army is the institute which binds the country together, why does our army represent a few districts of the country?
Baradri is probably what took them so long. The Punjabi's dominated the ranks prior to partition, garnered the most advantage and they continued the tradition, and continued to receive the advantage of being in the Army. So they received employment, and all sorts of nice perks... The Potohar area also progressed.
Chakwal area i believe has some of the highest literacy rates in the country. Chakwal has 73 percent literacy just behind Rawalpindi with 75. Is that a coincidence?
^ Potohar region as a whole has the highest literacy rates (Wah Cantt a small town has over 100 % literacy, other social indicators are also among the best in the country). I support this (at least some areas are going forward) and it should be further improved, but other areas which are lagging behind also need to be brought forward and the gap be bridged between more developed and under developed areas. But this will require a major over all in the thinking of the intelligentsia and others at the government's helm.
^ Potohar region as a whole has the highest literacy rates (other social indicators are also among the best in the country). I support this (at least some areas are going forward) and it should be further improved, but other areas which are lagging behind also need to be brought forward and the gap be bridged between more developed and under developed areas. But this will require a major over all in the thinking of the intelligentsia and others at the government's helm.
Im originally from the area and we have a long line of soldiers in my family, and the area has benefited much from the martial association going back as far as the mid to late 1800's. However, Pakistan Army must become a national Army not a Punjabi one.
Im originally from the area and we have a long line of soldiers in my family, and the area has benefited much from the martial association going back as far as the mid to late 1800's. However, Pakistan Army must become a national Army not a Punjabi one.
That's right. Pak Army must not look like a Punjabi army, yet we need to take into account the demographic formation of Punjab as well. With around 60% population of the country in one province, its share in and towards national composition is naturally bound to be bigger. Dividing Punjab in 3/4 provinces will automatically solve this problem to a great degree, apart from better management and allocation of national and provincial resources issue.
That's right. Pak Army must not look like a Punjabi army, yet we need to take into account the demographic formation of Punjab as well. With around 60% population of the country in one province, its share in and towards national composition is naturally bound to be bigger. Dividing Punjab in 3/4 provinces will automatically solve this problem to a great degree, apart from better management and allocation of national and provincial resources issue.
No it will not solve the problem. Let the army be divided according to population proportion of different provinces.
Our problem is this that we are in habit of living in empires .
Pakistan was obtained through democracy and it could survive only with democracy but our forces are forces of British empire and these intermediate pass intellectuals actually can not understand democracy .
Nice thread, we should acknowledge our problems before we can solve them.
Only a strong leader with proper vision can take such steps to ensure equal representation. I think Bhutto had the capability but surprised that he never took such steps. Kyani deserves the credit for recruitment drive in Baluchistan. I think Musharaff also took some steps to increase recruitment in Balochistan. KPK already has fair share of soldiers, rural Sindh should also get more representation.
Punjab’s boundaries have been shrinking and expanding since time immemorial … and with Soan Valley in it… it can claim to be among one of the continuously inhabited place on Earth …in history
Perhaps you should research about the Shahi Dynasty … also Porus was the king of land between Jehlum and Chenab … Ambhi was the King of Taxila …who readily submitted to Alexander
