Sunday, June 10, 2007

Pakistan Ordinance Factory

An advertisement for Pakistani weaponry systems? Wonder if the Taliban and the ISI backed terrorist outfits are its valued customers!
Military IncDr Ayesha Siddiqa, a military analyst,has written a book titled 'Military Inc: Inside Pakistan’s Military Economy' in which she details about the role of the military in transforming the Pakistani society, and the armed forces becoming an independent class entrenched in the corporate sector and their five giant welfare foundations, or conglomerates, running thousands of businesses ranging from petrol pumps to industrial plants.As per reports,the list of industries, where military or ex-military and its officials, were in charge included steel mills, sugar factories, cement factories, fertilizer factories, cereal factories, banks, logistics companies, construction companies, utilities, even universities and other higher education institutions.She has estimated the net worth of the army’s commercial empire at Rs 200 billion.
As per an article in the Hindu Newspaper, the `Milbus’(combining the words military and business) perpetuates the military’s political predatory style.She defines Milbus as military capital used for the personal benefit of the military fraternity.
The author says that the military establishment is trying to disrupt her life and her official book launch in Pakistan. The launch was subverted at various locations by the officialdom but it finally went ahead at a small private office almost in virtual sanctuary on the 1st of June.
The book's publication certainly comes at a sensitive time for the military-led government and for Gen.Parvez Musharraf who is fighting a losing battle with internal strife.

4 comments:

Ozymandias said...

Nice articles...seems we have quite a lot of interest in world issues in common..will definitely be back !!!

Unknown said...

This is called the Islamic Military Business model......akin to the Islamic Banking.

Eternalsoul said...

Thanks Darlo
Checked your blog too. Very interesting. Keep visiting
Eternalsoul

Eternalsoul said...

Omni
Thank you for your regular feedbacks and valued readership
Eternalsoul