Pakistan Nowadays

They say that every country has an army. But in Pakistan the army has a country.

In fact, in a country where 75% (!!!) of the government budget is spent on the military this can be true.

The true power lies with the army in Pakistan. Even though it is a democracy, or pretends to be, any time some civil government goes against or menace the power of the army, some military coup install a military government for a few years. it has been like this ever since the formation of the country.

The army came to this powerfull position due to the perception that the country is permanently in danger of attack. By the Indians first, By the afghan government later, by afghans refugees later (that at some point were 5 million!), by the russians, and now by the americans or islamic radicals.

Over its history Pakistan also profited from the problems in neighbouring afghanistan. When the Soviets invaded the country, Pakistan was the base from which american military aid was given to the mujaheidin (the afghan resistence). Of course Pakistan demanded large amounts of money for this, and also all kind of military assistance, which they used to upgrade their army, agains the old enemy india. Nowadays Pakistan is profiting again from the troubles in Afghanistan. Around 80% of Nato supplies come through Pakistan. Of course Pakistan government is beeing very well paid through loans and military aid for their help in the fight agains "global terrorism".


After this quick brainstorming, what's going on in Pakistan nowadays?

There is somekind of democracy, with a civil government, but where the power of the army is always present. The politicians know that they cannot mess too much with the military.

There is huge amount of poverty. THe local economy has a huge problem when it comes to electrical supply. There are power shortages everyday. Lack of education is a big problem, as its not free, and in huge muslim families not all the children can go to school.(if any go...)

Pakistan was able to produce a nuclear bomb. One can only imagine how much money it was spent on this project and was not spent in the economy and on its people.

Nowadays there are several origins for the unsafety in Pakistan:

1)Kashmir is still a " war zone" with a cease fire line, and both armies in combat positions. There is a underground resistance movement in the indian side, supported by Pakistan

2)Some of pakistan religous schools, madrassas, create fightes that fight in different " holly wars" like afghanistan, iraq, and also in Kashmir. These guys sometiems organize bomb atacks in India (like the ones In mumbay). In return indian secret services sponsors some bomb atacks throghout pakistan.

3)The religous fundamentism that pakistan created to fight abroad (afganistan and kashmire) are the main cause for pakistan internal security problems, as they foment etnical divisions between pakistan people (suni and shia, or between punjabis, pastuns, siqs, or any other groups).There are regularly assassinations and bomb atacks a little bit all over the country.

3) People from the tribal areas, that borders afghanistan, are pashtun. The same as taliban fighters in afghanistan. AS both these people are more loyal to their tribe than to their country, they move across the border as they want. American bomb atacks are more and more chasing taliban afghan fighters deep into pakistan tribal areas, creating a lot of civil casualties, with pakistan government agreement. This is causing that Tribal Areas are revolting agains the government, being these places no go areas.

In pakistan every one like to discuss politics so you can learn a lot by talking with people...Everyone agrees that the americans, like the russians wont be able to fight this war. Just because they are fighting people that,like pakistan people describe pastun: when they are born, fires of kalashnikov are fired to celebrate. When they learn how to walk, the father doest reach the hand for support. he gives the machine gun...they live to fight, and after the americans will leave, they will find someone else to fight with. If not, they just fight between them, like they normally do...