The latent price for patriotism

The current tense regional environment likely underpins the government’s proposal, endorsed by its largest coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples’ Party, to raise the defence budget by 18 per cent for the next fiscal year. The critical question for a resource-constrained country, however, remains: who will pay for it? Driven by patriotism and deep respect for a military establishment that successfully repelled the strategic ambitions of a hostile neighbour five times its size, most Pakistanis would readily pledge to defend the nation’s sovereignty and support the security apparatus in any way they can. However, is it fair, or economically prudent, to place a greater burden on those already living below poverty line, or to further tax businesses that are essential to job creation and unlocking the country’s vast human potential?