Pakistan military runs 55 firms

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

**Pakistan military runs 55 firms **

Pakistan’s army does more than fight . Pakistan’s government has said the country’s powerful armed forces run a total of 55 businesses.
Defence Minister Rao Sikander Iqbal was responding to a question in the Senate tabled by the opposition Pakistan People’s Party.

The army’s commercial ventures ranged from small bakeries to huge industrial establishments, the minister said.

Pakistani politicians are deeply critical of the armed forces’ steadily increasing business interests.

**Pension funds **
Mr Iqbal said most of the businesses were controlled by three trusts working under the armed forces.

These trusts include the Fauji Foundation (managed by the army), the Shaheen Foundation (managed by the air force) and the Bahria Foundation (managed by the navy).

Mr Iqbal told the Senate in a written reply that these businesses included fertilizer and sugar factories.

The army also has business interests in the energy and banking sectors, and in leasing, insurance, travel, pharmacies, gas stations, security and textiles, among others.

The army says it needs these businesses to generate pension funds and to start welfare schemes for hundreds of thousands of retired soldiers and officers.

**‘Excuse’ **

But PPP senator Farhatullah Babar, who had tabled the question, told BBC news: “It is only an excuse for them to keep expanding their commercial interests.”

Opposition parties in Pakistan have repeatedly alleged that the armed forces’ commercial interests are taking a toll on their professional commitments and capabilities.

Government officials are legally bound to answer questions tabled in the parliament.

The BBC’s Aamer Ahmed Khan in Karachi says this has become the opposition’s preferred tactic to draw public attention to the army’s commercial interests.

Last week, the defence ministry had to provide the parliament with details of the land acquired by the army for setting up housing colonies.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4491541.stm
interesting article…what do u think abt it?

2

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

sounds interesting!!
well the military runs the whole country.. from politicians (refer to the role ISI and FIA in recording politician's activtites), to minstries(how many Maj. Gen(Retd) do we have as our ministers 1- Education), to educational institutions (Punjab Univ. VC, UET Lahore)
I just wonder wats left to be taken over by PA:)

3

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

In uniform, Madarssas and Mosque’s…

4

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

isn’t that called talebanization?

When you recieve a miss call
When you recieve a miss call
5

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

No, taliban’s were like the three stooges or black and white silent movies whose sole purpose was to make ppl laugh by breaking things over each other’s head…Pak Army, well they literally rule…havent missed a heartbeat in the last 50years while ruling Pakistan…wherease, they aint no taliban anymore…just like the silent movies…gone ‘poof’…God is Great

6

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

An military running dozens of business, hardly what is known as a 'professional' Army!

7

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

It is not uncommon at all for military to run off shoots of businesses to cater to the needs of their servicemen & women. So, running these 55 firms is not at all something to be worried about.

What needs to be checked is that their business is without corruption and they don't get any sweetened deals from the government just because they are pseudo-military company. So, when the tender goes out to get some construction going, the NLC should be treated equally with all other companies.

8

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

"It is not uncommon at all for military to run off shoots of businesses to cater to the needs of their servicemen & women. So, running these 55 firms is not at all something to be worried about."

You are kidding right? Armies are usually paid for by the populace, they are not venture funds. Are the returns given back as dividends and who takes most of the carry?

9

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

Isn't the US military infrastructure all about business and money making as well? They probably run more than just 55 firms.

10

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

^ Does the US army have shareholding in Lockheed Martin?

11

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

I am in agreement with P Diddys one liner..no Armed Force particpates in the economy on the scale of the Pak Army..welfare activity is fine..but the sheer levelf oe economic activity in the Army's hands (unaccountable as well) is not right

12

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

The Pak Army has a much more extensive welfare scheme than most other armies. For the taxpayer to bear the burden of supporting these though taxes into the defence budget would represent a singificant strain on the nations taxpayers.

If the military budget is not sufficient to support military welfare schemes, the military must have its own supplemental revenue stream to prevent the collapse of those schemes.

13

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

yup! you have to pay one way or other. the corrupt way is so much more effiicent

14

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

What’s proven to be corrupt about these businesses?

15

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

^ oh, sorry, I was generalising. When you want an disproportionately oversized military and let it assimilate extra-constitutional powers and let it create business ventures of its own, you have practically succumbed and said to them that they are the government. Do these businesses pay taxes? Do they come under civilian audit? Do they compete with other businesses?

You may be very lucky if they publish results

16

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

*Other countries in the world have their Armies,...but there is one Army which has the country,... i.e, Pakistan Army *

17

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

u r right…so true for our army

18

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

I think its much more than running 55 businesses. When i was in karachi in 2002, I saw many schools run by Navy, Airforce, Army even some shaadi halls ...pls do correct me if i am wrong

19

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

are these related to fauji foundation? NAB actually nabbed fauji foundation and it got a bit hairy.

20

Re: Pakistan military runs 55 firms

the point little nudnik is that, why is the army (an institution responsible to defending citizens fo a coutnry from foreign invasions) even involved in running, funding, managing private/public sector enterprises? Are regular pakistanis not smart enough to manage that? do you not have enough educated business men/women? (sorry I said women..that too Pakistani) DO you not have banking, capital markets, industrial complex that is without an imprint of the armed forces?