Aisha Saeed<\/p>\n
A country\u2019s defense budget is a critical and fundamental component of its security calculus. As Pakistan continues to battle internal and external security threats, this cal\u00adculus is not merely about an increase in numbers but also encapsulates the strategic resolve to maintain and enhance the country\u2019s national se\u00adcurity posture in an increas\u00adingly charged and volatile environ\u00adment. With an increased allocation of 17.6 % of the country\u2019s latest defense budget, it is imperative to contextualize this allocation with\u00adin the spectrum of both the exist\u00ading and emerging traditional and non-traditional security threats.
\nOver the years, Pakistan\u2019s threat spectrum has been composed of internal and external challeng\u00ades, oscillating between high and low-intensity periods. The coun\u00adtry has navigated waves of instabil\u00adity, ranging from internal political unrest and insurgencies to exter\u00adnal military threats from neighbor\u00ading countries like India. Through\u00adout these fluctuations, Pakistan\u2019s strategic reliance on its nuclear de\u00adterrent historically has remained a cornerstone of its national secu\u00adrity policy. This nuclear capability has served as a critical deterrent to maintain a strategic balance and prevent escalation in a region char\u00adacterized by enduring rivalries and geopolitical tensions. However, the evolution in conflict dynamics and the new arms race in the region necessitate a substantial defense budget for a country like Pakistan that still battles fractions of terror\u00adist groups and external powers that exploit and threaten its stability.
\nSeveral factors can be attribut\u00aded to the recent augmentation in the defense budget of Pakistan. Al\u00adthough now in isolation, Pakistan continues its fight against insur\u00adgency in Balochistan with the BLA and terrorism by TTP, and ISKP in its tribal belts. Pakistan has shift\u00aded from wide-scale military op\u00aderations to intelligence-based op\u00aderations in the past few years to minimize its internal threats and maximize the effectiveness of such operations. The internal threats have also projected themselves onto the China-Pakistan econom\u00adic corridor. The project\u2019s long-term sustainability is directly linked to a secure environment, and protect\u00ading its installations and personnel remains a concern for Pakistan and China. Balochistan is a vital conduit for CPEC and holds significant stra\u00adtegic importance as a province due to its borders with Afghanistan and Iran, rendering it a crucial frontier in Pakistan\u2019s defense strategy, as it is where the country\u2019s geopolitical and economic interests converge. Although Pakistan has secured its border with Afghanistan by estab\u00adlishing miles-long fence and secu\u00adrity posts, the repeated occurrenc\u00ades of border skirmishes, smuggling activities, and the facilitated move\u00adment of terrorists from the Afghan territory continue to imperil Paki\u00adstan\u2019s national security.
\nAnother unneglectable factor of threat for Pakistan remains at its eastern border by nuclear-armed India. Since the abrogation of Ar\u00adticle 370 in August of 2019 in the occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the move has precipitated escalation in tensions and ceasefire violations over the Line of Control between Pakistan and India, intensified mil\u00aditary and political hostilities, and a substantial military build-up by In\u00addia. Under Modi\u2019s belligerent rhet\u00adoric, the situation at the Line of Control is hostile once again, com\u00adpelling Pakistan to adopt recipro\u00adcal measures. India\u2019s threat has not been limited to direct military con\u00adfrontation with Pakistan. With a de\u00adfense spending seven times higher than Pakistan, India has been in\u00advolved in financing terror and sep\u00adaratist groups inside Pakistan for years while also heightening and encouraging recent protests in Azad Jammu and Kashmir as well. In the Southwest, Pakistan was forced to reconsider its security approach with Iran after it had launched a se\u00adries of missile strikes, claiming to target militants. Pakistan later re\u00adsponded with precision strikes on designated targets along the border of Iran. Both countries were swift to defuse the tensions through diplo\u00admatic channels but this changed the security dynamics with Iran. Strate\u00adgically pivotal for Pakistan\u2019s mari\u00adtime security is the Arabian Sea to its south, a robust naval capability is integral to safeguarding sea lines of communication.
\nInarguably for a country that is wedged between tense neighbors and is subjected to the competing interests of the US and China, main\u00adtaining its national sovereignty re\u00admains crucial. For Pakistan, the sig\u00adnificant hike in its defense budget is essential for military modern\u00adization and technological innova\u00adtion, enabling the development and acquisition of advanced weapon\u00adry, surveillance systems, and other defense capabilities. Such advance\u00adments are critical in countering tra\u00additional military threats but also non-traditional security threats. In\u00advesting in cutting-edge technology ensures that Pakistan\u2019s armed forc\u00ades remain agile and effective, capa\u00adble of swiftly responding to threats. A technologically advanced military is a significant deterrent, reinforc\u00ading Pakistan\u2019s defense posture and discouraging potential adversar\u00adies from engaging in hostile actions but also leading to quicker de-es\u00adcalation in case of conflict. Militar\u00adily research and development also requires continued fund allocation which is driven by the overall will\u00adingness of the defense spending.
\nPakistan maintains one of the largest standing forces in the re\u00adgion, necessitating a substantial budget to support the welfare and operational readiness of its military personnel in both war and peace. Adequate finance is essential for providing training, healthcare, and improved living conditions, crucial for maintaining a motivated and capable fighting force. In addition, this budget also underpins Paki\u00adstan\u2019s commitment to global secu\u00adrity through its contributions to UN peacekeeping missions.
\nIn a world, that is, increasingly be\u00adcoming more securitized, Pakistan\u2019s security calculus requires a precar\u00adious balancing act in years to come. The said increase in the defense budget emphasizes a carefully con\u00adsidered strategy, aimed at address\u00ading the country\u2019s evolving threat spectrum. By bolstering its defense capabilities, Pakistan seeks to strike a delicate equilibrium between mit\u00adigating existing threats and main\u00adtaining its security posture, thereby, ensuring its territorial integrity and national interests in the region.<\/p>\n
The writer is an independent media and foreign policy analyst. She tweets@MsAishaK.
\nCourtesy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Aisha Saeed A country\u2019s defense budget is a critical and fundamental component of its security calculus. As Pakistan continues to battle internal and external security threats, this cal\u00adculus is not merely about an increase in numbers but also encapsulates the strategic resolve to maintain and enhance the country\u2019s national se\u00adcurity posture in an increas\u00adingly charged […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[13414],"class_list":{"0":"post-418321","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-aisha-saeed"},"yoast_head":"\n