Discussing the defence budget

Zaheerul Hassan

On June 17, 2008, the coalition government deliberated the defence budget for 2008-09 on the elected forum. Pakistan army has facilitated the budget-making authorities in the provision of all necessary details required by them. Although it was discussed as “classified information”, the nation, the Senate and the parliament felt satisfaction over this gesture of the present rulers. Unfortunately, there are some analysts who are yet to be content over this good start. One respectable strategic and political analyst declared that this budget is relatively transparent in her article published in an English daily last month.

She tried to compare the presentation of the budget with that of the US, France, Britain, Nato and India. There is no doubt that elected bodies should know the actual budget but, at the same time, certain information need not be discussed in open house. This rule of dissemination of top secret information is even applicable within the sensitive institutions the world over. Thus, questioning about its transparency is not understood. The defence budget of Nato has to be open to all member countries because that organisation only works for their common cause and interests.

In the US and other countries certain secret funds remain on the disposal of the chief executive of the government to meet the unknown expenditures. They never discuss the same openly in the parliament or Congress. For this purpose, they have constituted committees of elected members, technocrats and representatives that debate the defence related financial matters and recommend to president or prime minister for approval, if need be.

Somehow, there are certain elements in our country that had made their undeviating strategy to write against the sensitive issue without thinking or realising how much damage can be caused by them. I will just say that, basically, they are degrading their national institutions free of cost and making the job easier for our adversaries. Moreover, this also seems to become a type of fashion to talk against the forces and the defence budget without knowing the facts and figures. Normally, the purpose of commenting upon the defence budget by the so-called analysts might be striving for getting popularity or working on foreign agenda.

I suggest that the electronic and print media must play their role to take care of national interests, instead of providing them space, time, and a forum to propagate their baseless ideas. In a stable and democratic government, the debate on the budget goes unnoticed because their parliamentarians do not comment upon the essential necessities of the armed forces. Similar maturity has also been displayed by the majority of Pakistani politicians of the main political parties. The gesture shown by political and military leaders is encouraging and commendable too.

It is an established fact that the country cannot compromise on its security and sovereignty. Thus, demanding reduction in the defence spending without calculating the risk factor is just like committing collective suicide. Let me share that the Pakistani nation is well aware of four indo-Pak wars and never likes to live as a puppet nation to any other country. So, the nation does understand the need of the armed forces to have a certain level of independence to maintain the minimum nuclear deterrent.

No doubt, the army has been the most powerful decision-making institution of the country in the past. At the same time, secrecy, sensitivity and accountability has never been compromised while expending the scared money given to it. Reports indicate that military and political top brass enjoys close harmony and cordial relations between them. The stand against the US-led Nato forces and opting for peace agreements against the wishes of Americans are reflections of the good future of the country. The institutions of a nation grow in stature and professional competence when they are subject to the discipline and limitations laid down by the book of law.

Defence budget has been categorised under seven broad heads: employee-related expenses, operating expenses, travel and transportation, general, physical assets, other stores and stocks, and civil works. Normally, employee related expenditures are being discussed illogically by some writers. They must understand that the spending of public sector and military establishment has to be more as compared to other operating expenses.

Pakistan has an increase of 7.6 percent over the previous year, which is even below the double-digit inflation and realistically will be termed as a freeze on the defence budget whereas India has raised its defence budget in 2008-09 by 10 percent to $ 26.5 billion. This is a remarkable increase as compared to the previous years. The main chunk of this increased defence spending will contribute towards the salaries and modernisation of the world’s fourth army. China has increased its defence budget to $ 58 billion, an increase of 17.5 percent from the previous year. If one looks at India’s defence budget, Pakistan stands nowhere and there is no comparison between the two.

Actually, Delhi has increased its nuclear offensive capability while modernising its navy and army to emerge as regional power and race with China. According to a renowned defence analysts of India, Deba R Mohanty, in her article published in March reveals that New Delhi plans to spend at least $ 30 billion until 2012 to modernise the military with an immediate purchase of 126 fighter jets costing $ 12 billion followed by ships, submarines, artillery and other hardware in the coming years. Indian authorities have also set aside $ 12 billion for arms purchases during the current fiscal year and granted that armed forces will not face funds shortages in the drive to upgrade materiel and purchase of mechanised divisions, artillery and air defence units.

No hidden expenditures have been kept in Pakistan’s defence budget and transparency of it is undoubted because the coalition government assured the defence authorities that unusual expenditures will be met by them in the hour of need. Thus, doing criticism for the sake of criticism is no way of doing an analysis. It is pertinent to mention here that our armed forces are running some welfare projects.

These organisations are directly or indirectly contributing in giving boost to the overall economy of the country and lessening the burden on the nation. I suggest that transparency regarding the defence budget should remain a hallmark of deliberating the budget in the parliament in future. The information should be passed to all on the need-to-know basis. The sensitive issues should be discussed behind closed doors. At the same time, some rules should also be devised to stop anti-state elements from commenting upon defence-related issues while keeping baseless assumptions in front of them and discussing the budget as a political fashion.

Bachna Ae Haseeno gets massive promotion
Sports

Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea hits her tee shot on the 9th hole