Pakistan - News and Discussion -7

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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Letter in the Daily Times 07 July 2006
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p..._7-7-2006_pg3_8
Defence II

Sir: This letter is in reference to “Defence expenditure and pragmatic policies” (daily Times, July 5) by Nikhat Shaheen. India’s Defence expenditure vis-à-vis Pakistan’s defence spending is based on the following realities: India’s maritime boundary is seven times bigger than that of Pakistan; India’s land area is four times that of Pakistan’s; India’s population is seven hundred percent greater than Pakistan’s; and India’s economy is seven times greater than Pakistan’s economy. Therefore, it stands to reason that India’s defence capability and expenditure should be between five to seven times greater than Pakistan’s. Hence, it is naïve for the Pakistani intelligentsia to expect India to spend as much on defence as Pakistan does considering such a situation will result in greatly reducing India’s ability to defend itself from any external threats, from Pakistan or elsewhere.

At this juncture China’s economy is twice that of India but its defence capability and expenditure is, in real terms, more than thrice that of India. Thus Pakistan should reduce its defence spending to at least one-fifth or one-seventh that of India. <b>As far as Pakistanis’ fear of India invading Pakistan is concerned, it would be unreasonable to continue with this belief given that India is already burdened with a population of over 1.1 billion people without trying to take charge of an additional 165 million Pakistanis. </b> <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
NK WADHERA
UK
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