Simply stating that there will be “absolutely no compromise on Nuclear Defense Deterrence” is not enough to guarantee that Pakistan can effectively face the challenges and designs of powerful nations. The current state of the economy, combined with a pursuit of power and private militias, is a recipe for disaster. It is imperative that Pakistan develops a functional economy with a balanced budget to ensure the effectiveness of its defense strategy.

Around the world, revenue is generated through direct taxation of commercial enterprises and indirect taxation after all other avenues have been exhausted. However, every regime in Pakistan, including PTI, PPP, PMLN, and Musharraf, has done the opposite. The backbone of the economy, agriculture, has fallen victim to land developers who are converting fertile lands into concrete jungles with the help of successive governments since 1958. Export and employment-generating industries are being shut down to make way for shopping malls and plazas due to minimal taxation on real estate profiteering. Optimum agricultural yields can only be achieved if the land is allotted to farmers who work the land.

With such abuses of power and the insatiable greed of those at the helm, the security of our Defense Strategy cannot be assured. The Soviet Union, which once boasted of the largest military and nuclear arsenal, collapsed from within because of the economic crisis and connivance of men like Gorbachev. Pakistan seems to have many such individuals with split loyalties, who have already sought foreign immigration, yet hold public offices. Concrete structural economic reforms must be enforced, otherwise, our sovereignty and capability to safeguard our Defense Deterrence cannot be assured.

MALIK TARIQ ALI,

Lahore.