Re: Why do we need Army in Pakistan now…
Policies are not formed in a vacuum. We don’t live in an ideal world. The rationale given by the Indian Army can be applied to Pak Army as well. Even if there was no external threat -and it will be extremely naive to believe that there’s none- Pakistan needs a very strong and cohesive security apparatus to counter violent threats within its boundaries. However the army should not overstep the boundaries of its constitutional role.
'The Indian Army has turned down a government recommendation of downsizing in favour of more reliance on technology and weapon systems.
Citing factors like fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast besides manning the higher reaches of Kargil and the eastern front facing China, the army top brass has told the government to shelve the idea of “downsizing the military strength at present”. Instead of downsizing, Indian Army is raising two divisions for deployment in the mountainous terrain facing Pakistan and China. Former Indian Army chief, General VP Malik had decided to do away with about 50,000 troops in early 1999. But, soon after Kargil, he raised a new corps, 14 Corps based in Ladakh.
Over past few years the government here has been pushing the idea of restructuring in the forces to make it “more leaner and meaner”. Keeping in view the changed war scenario, a section in the strategic establishment has asked to rely more on technology and weapon systems rather on a huge man power. Government sources said that much of the defence budget, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of the annual budget, goes to salaries, pensions and other benefits like logistics and canteen services rather to modernization and the capital account.
It is believed that army’s top brass is likely to make a detailed presentation about the inadvisability of downsizing move to the top political leadership next month. The army says the ground situation does not leave any room for “field force rationalisation” (troops engaged in actual combat operations) as the two fronts, Pakistan and China, need physical presence of the troops on the ground. It has also argued that operational commitments in Jammu and Kashmir to tackle insurgency were manpower intensive.’ Source