Pakistan military drums up India threat

Pakistan’s military has always touted India as the primary threat to the country. This projection of the India threat keeps the powerful military establishment in business. It’s therefore not surprising to find Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee reiterating what has been the guiding credo of Rawalpindi HQ. “India is the only external threat for Pakistan,” General Rashad Mahmood, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee, told Senate Defence Committee members on August 27 about the perceived threat.

Pakistan’s military informed the committee that India had purchased USD 100 billion worth of weapons of which 80 percent were Pakistan-specific and it is expected that India would be buying weapons worth another USD 100 billion.

The statement coming soon after the cancellation of the talks between National Security Advisers of both countries is set to sour the atmpsherics between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

While there has been no official reaction so far from the Indian side, such remarks don’t create a conducive atmosphere for any sustained engagement between the two countries.

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