All countries accord top priority to their security necessitating financial allocations to the defence forces in their annual budgets in consonance with real and perceived security threats to their territorial integrity as well as to protect their commercial interests globally like the USA and other developed countries.

Unfortunately, Pakistan is faced with a security threat from its Eastern neighbour since its inception and had no choice other than to maintain strong armed forces and arsenal to create a credible deterrent for the enemy. Pakistan never wanted to be a nuclear power but when India started pursuing a nuclear programme to develop nuclear weapons raising the security bar for Pakistan the latter had no choice but to follow suit.

In response to the Indian ‘cold start doctrine,’ Pakistan had to respond with a policy of minimum deterrent by developing missiles capable of carrying pay-loads to long distances. It has helped in maintaining peace in the region. So all this has been done in the face of a real security threat meaning thereby that Pakistan had to keep budgetary allocations for the defence forces at a level which could enhance their capability to give a befitting response to the enemy whenever it committed any indiscretion.

However, notwithstanding these ground realities in regard to the security threat to the country and the consequent compulsions, there is no dearth of people who look askance at the defence spending by the country and keep spreading misconceptions about the budgetary allocations to the defence forces preferring the argument that they are being made at the expense of socio-economic development and welfare of the people. They also keep bandying around wrong notions about affiliate organizations of the defence forces. Deliberate attempts are made to distort figures based on assumptions and false information presenting the........

© The Nation