PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif told newsmen in Karachi that the nation must stop treating India as its biggest enemy, and called for a reappraisal of ties with New Delhi “if we want to go forward and progress.” He also spoke of the need to cut the budget, and said that the inquiry into the Abbottabad fiasco would provide an opportunity for the country to be put on the right track, establish the rule of law and bring all institutions under civilian control. Mian Nawaz should be clear, even if the government is not, that the enquiry should have only one purpose, making sure that no foreign forces intrude into Pakistan again. It appears that Pakistan’s enemies have succeeded unexpectedly because the violation of Pakistani sovereignty by the USA has been made something India would dearly love to do, but cannot.
The only thing stopping India from conducting such raids are the armed forces of Pakistan, and this is not the time at which anyone, let alone the leader of one of the country’s two major parties, should be talking about cuts in defence expenditures. In fact, in case the enquiry into the Osama incident reveals that some shortfalls have led to failures in preparedness, including intelligence, they must be made up. As head of the PML-N Mian Nawaz is expected to lead the debate in the country, and this is not the time to be debating defence expenditures. Though that is a valid debate, it should only be highlighted at the proper time and place, not at a time when the country is being threatened by its enemies. True, the military is devoted such a large chunk of expenditure at the cost of such basic services as health and education, but has Mian Nawaz counted the cost of unilaterally trying to make up with India in order to reduce military expenditure? – Nation
