Every year on 6th September Pakistan celebrates its “Defense Day” by paying respect to those martyrs who gave their lives in the war of 1965 to save the country from enemy i.e. India. This is the most important event in the national history of Pakistan which led to the eventual defeat of India on all accounts with an excellent display of defense from Pakistan. Today Pakistan faces the traditional and non-traditional security threats that have secured deep roots in the economic, political, social, as well as the military fabric of national sphere. This merits immediate and dedicated attention because these issues have been posing serious challenges to the stability and security of the country.
In the context of traditional security and realignment of regional partnerships, one can observe that the US is improving its ties with India to counter China’s rise in South Asia and beyond. This raises concerns within the official circles of Pakistan especially in the wake of exemptions and preferential treatment India has been extended to by the US and the West. For instance President Obama gave India the status of major defense partner while Donald Trump administration recently granted the Strategic Trade Authorization-1 (STA-1) status to India, which doesn’t come without destabilizing tendencies for the South Asian region. This is so especially because now India can import sensitive defense related technology without any license. Additionally, the US and India are not only cooperating in the realm of sensitive technology and military trade but India is also enhancing its capabilities in the space domain with cooperation of the US over the last few decades. It is trying to improve its naval nuclear capabilities to subjugate China and Pakistan. It is important for Pakistan to think how it can maintain deterrence against its enemy at present as well as in the future. India is improving its military, naval and space capabilities under the superpower friendship umbrella which favors India on every platform.
Recently, the US Defense Department withheld the CSF reimbursement worth US $300m to Pakistan. The US resorted to this measure due to alleged inaction by Pakistan against terrorist elements. All of these factors combined with rigid behavior of the US has compelled Pakistan to look for alternative options in the international community specifically in order to improve its strategic capabilities. Russia and China are two significant actors in this regard. Every year, Pakistan recalls the memory of September 6th 1965 as “Defense Day”, which gives the lesson of sacrifice for the safety and security of the motherland. Pakistan celebrates 6th September with this spirit and determination that it would defeat all security problems and threats practically by improving its strategic and economic position.
Unfortunately, Pakistan is not only faced by grave traditional threats, there are also a number of non-traditional threats which have greatly affected its economic growth, social sector, and political stability. Population explosion is a serious challenge having multiple implications. The ensuing water and food scarcity, poverty, unemployment, etc. are only some of the problems while the list is endless. Pakistan is one of those states which are moving from a water stressed state to water scarce country according to the World Bank. Due to the lack of water resources, the farmers are shifting their cultivation from water intensive crops like sugarcane, cotton, wheat and rice to low water intensive crops which is generating food scarcity and disturbing the food market. Notwithstanding all these problems Pakistani nation should remind itself that it has been tested on many occasions, whetheron an account of aggression by extremist elements, it has always emerged more determined by following in the spirit of Quaid’s golden words of Faith, Unity and Discipline. In the same spirit, Defense Day demands from Pakistan and its people that they renew their pledge to act selflessly and sacrifice whatever it demands, for a better and brighter future. It recaps the courage, integrity and steadfastness that defined the Pakistani state in the face of armed aggression in 1965 by a much larger adversary. It was the day when the entire Pakistani nation stood together to defeat an opponent, now they should be also united to counter all these problems which is necessary for the survival of Pakistan.
