Countering unfair attacks - Pakistan's Military Industries

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

view: Countering unfair attacks —Brain Cloughley​

It is easy to attack the army and the organisations that assist in welfare of its retirees. They are popular targets, although dispassionate analysis and examination of facts tend to indicate that their social improvement activities are positive and constructive

Let me declare an interest: when writing a book about the Pakistan Army I was given a great deal of help by the Army Welfare Trust, the Fauji Foundation and, of course, GHQ itself, in gathering information about the army’s conditions of service — the pay, allowances, pensions and benefits to which soldiers are entitled by reason of years of service.

Although I thought I knew quite a lot about the army, many of the facts and figures were surprising. And when I described the tiny pensions to some people, Pakistanis and foreigners alike, I was greeted with frank disbelief that they were so small, and with astonishment that charitable organisations play such a large part in retirement welfare. So I thought I would put the record straight, by describing what organisations like the Army Welfare Trust and the Fauji Foundation actually do, backed by fact, rather than making wild allegations without data to support them.

The Fauji Foundation, for example, has the aim of providing or assisting in the provision of “quality education and medical care to beneficiaries (retired soldiers) through investments in profitable ventures ensuring earning growth compatible to our demands for providing high quality services”, which is one way of saying it improves access by pensioners and their families to education and health by running businesses. This practice has attracted criticism.

One detractor wrote that the armed services’ association with business “perpetuates the military’s predatory style. The defining feature of such predatory capital is that it is concealed — not recorded as part of the defence budget...Motivated by personal gains, the officer cadre of the armed forces seeks political and economic relationships which will enable them to increase their economic returns.”

Given the charitable nature of the Fauji Foundation and the AWT, the allegations that they are predatory and form part of an “illegal military economy” intent on avoiding “laws which are detrimental to their personal interests” attracted some resentment in the army and especially in the organisations that provide, through profit-making in business, a range of social services that benefit former members of the forces and their families, and thus the country as a whole. The allegation that there are unexplained and questionable transfers of resources from the public to the private sector” is not and cannot be substantiated, but it engendered headlines round the world, particularly in India, where anything unfavourable to Pakistan is eagerly seized upon.

In an interview with the Times of India published September 16, 2007, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, a critic of the Pakistan army and the Fauji Foundation, declared that, “...unlike India...Pakistan has set up a number of organisations to look after its officers. The Fauji Foundation is the oldest and most powerful. Set up in 1954 to look after the needs of ex-servicemen, the foundation has assets worth Rs 9.8 billion ($169 million). It runs 25 industrial projects, 18 of which are fully controlled by the foundation. Around 80-90 percent of people employed in these projects are army personnel.”

In fact, Fauji Foundation has over 9 million beneficiaries and generates income through seven fully owned enterprises and nine associated companies. All pay tax at normal rates and are quoted on the stock exchange. The financial accounts are open for anyone to inspect, and the total tax paid in 2005-2006 was Rs 32 billion ($528 million). It employs 12,500 people, of whom 4500 are ex-service.

The claim that charitable organisations only “look after officers” is simply incorrect. By far, most beneficiaries are retired soldiers and their families. And, as shown above, the allegation that “80-90 percent of people employed in these projects are army personnel” is also wrong, as about a third of the Foundation’s employees are retired military people. What is also ignored is that the Foundation’s welfare expenditure in 2006-2007 totalled $46 million in a ratio of 8:4:1 in medical care, education services and training of family members of ex-service personnel and some civilians. How predatory.

One particularly regrettable observation was that “The decision-making structure of the Fauji Foundation and other military foundations is highly elitist. Post retirement benefits are decided exclusively by the military high command, without the participation of the jawans...Colonel (retired) Bakhtiar Khan claims that the actual beneficiaries of the welfare system are the officers and not the ordinary soldiers.”

Tell that to the multitude of retired soldiers and their families who benefit greatly from much-needed charity disbursed by “military foundations”. And tell it to the wounded soldiers who have received prosthetic limbs and attentive care from Fauji Foundation hospitals.

As to elitism, so far as can be determined, there is no retirement benefits scheme in the world in which settlements are decided upon with participation of private soldiers, however desirable such a system may be in principle. And as to Fauji Foundation’s “highly elitist” system of decision-making, it would be well to consider the meaning of ‘elite’. It is defined as “the most powerful, rich or gifted members of a group” — or in other words the leaders.

It is a fact that most organisations in most countries, be they profit-making, political, civil service or military, are headed by those who are best qualified to do so (although one does wonder about the civilian chiefs of all the banks that went bust recently), and that the Fauji Foundation (and other institutions wishing to survive) would be unwise to adopt alternative means of managing their affairs.

It is easy to attack the army and the organisations that assist in the welfare of its retirees. They are popular targets, although dispassionate analysis and examination of facts tend to indicate that their social improvement activities are positive and constructive. But it’s fashionable and trendy to criticise them. There are few bouquets handed out for doing well.

Brian Cloughley’s book about the Pakistan army, War, Coups and Terror, has just been published by Pen & Sword Books (UK) and is distributed in Pakistan by Saeed Book Bank

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[Moscow]

its good to see that pakistan cares about the life of those people who gave it all for their country

 

[fatman17]

In fact, Fauji Foundation has over 9 million beneficiaries and generates income through seven fully owned enterprises and nine associated companies. All pay tax at normal rates and are quoted on the stock exchange. The financial accounts are open for anyone to inspect, and the total tax paid in 2005-2006 was Rs 32 billion ($528 million). It employs 12,500 people, of whom 4500 are ex-service.

pleasantly surprised!

 

[Kasrkin]

I was thinking of quoting from this book here, but couldn't quite get down to it.

 

[metalfalcon]

Whats wrong in caring for your Ex Servicemen. who sacrificed everything they had for the nation and for the country.

Pakistan is poor Country plus a Weak Economy PLUS a very Big MILITARY of about 0.6 Million to feed. GoP is not Capable of taking care of all its servicemen current and retired so if there is a organization that takes care of Retired Officers and Jawans from all the services whats bad in it ? In order to earn money you have to do business and I am proud to say that Fauji Foundation is not only taking care of retired Servicemen but has employed thousands of people (Ex military and civilians both) and the work done by the Fauji Foundations is also running the country as well, I don't see a reason to criticize them or call them "predatory". Compare the standard and quality of work done by other organizations and Fauji Foundation, You will see the difference what This Organization has achieved.


Edited

 

[Skywalker]

EDIT 'People' like Dr. A.S. (Authore of Miliary Inc.) only serves the purpose of their masters and that is what they are paid for. I am as a Pakistani is rpoud of its army and especially Fauji Foundation as my mother still gets pension being the wife of ex serviceman.

 

[BATMAN]

Bitches like Dr. A.S. (Authore of Miliary Inc.) only serves the purpose of their masters and that is what they are paid for. I am as a Pakistani is rpoud of its army and especially Fauji Foundation as my mother still gets pension being the wife of ex serviceman.

Not to forget media like GEO.
I think fauji foundation should expand its concept to wider people.
FF should launch retirement inssurance plan for civilians as well.