In a democracy, the defence services belong to the people through their representatives in parliament
RAWALPINDI: The budget season is in the offing. This time, let the opposition come up with an alternative budget, as it will expose the rubbish of the opposition leaders’ everyday lectures. We will eagerly wait to see what they provide for by way of basic rights in an alternative budget. Parties without alternative budgets are minds without ideas.
Historically, a common feature of all strong states was that they had strong military and civil institutions, dejure capability to defend their territory and policies that favoured the citizenry rather than the dominant classes.
Funds allocated: Rs400m budget presented for Rahim Yar Khan
Let us see how our vociferous opposition strikes a balance between constraints of security and welfare. In case our lawmakers feel handicapped in understanding the intricacies of defence budgeting in the context of internal and external security situation, GHQ may arrange a briefing for them. Lt Gen Attiqur Rehman in my defence course says: “In a democracy, the defence services belong to the people through their representatives in parliament. Thus, the people have the right to know what is going on, how their money is being spent, and how the defence services are being managed and administered. In fact, they have a right to know everything, except details of the actual war plans.” The lawmakers need to understand, the defence forces deserve the penny they get.
Amjed Jaaved
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2017.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
