Sorry for a bit of reality dose here. Pakistan cannot do anything militarily. People need to wake up and stop living in a child's fantasy world. What Pakistan CAN do is to walk away from any or all US assistance for good and that will set a tone where even if Pakistan cannot respond militarily, it will have a moral yet effective victory. I know that even as I say this, some foreign policy mandarins and economic advisors are trying to figure a way out to keep the funding life-line alive. This is how pragmatically bey-sharam our policy makers are. On the surface it is about khuddari, but internally, their economic planning is so short-sighted that they cannot think outside of the box.
The balance of payment is akin to judgement day for these idiots! They get paralysis just thinking about it.
The solution is that the Pakistani parliament needs to pass a bill prohibiting government from taking assistance from the United States. They have to make it illegal for any government to get into this kind of situation. I don't care if the US side comes offering grants, just walk away. This is essential if Pakistan is to survive as an independent country. The military and the civilian government are ALL guilty for the situation that Pakistan finds itself in.
The pathetic case of "we have suffered 50,000 dead" makes no sense. The US side would not care if we lose 500,000 dead given their own selfish interests in the region. Pakistan has to be just as ruthlessly selfish but it cannot for as long as Pakistan is beholden to them for aid. This is a country of 210 million people which is considered "food secure" by the United Nations. This means that if economic management and taxation are handled properly, there is NO reason for Pakistan to turn to the US or any of the international monetary funds. The problem is that both the civvies and khakis have becomes accustomed to easy money and shiny new toys respectively.
In all honesty, our air defence posture will not get denuded if F-16s and US equipment are not acquired. Train harder and use less sophisticated hardware while we struggle and strive to get better equipment developed locally or with collaboration from China and Turkey. Hardware alone does not win wars and when it is a matter of national interests and prestige, let go of the hang-ups and nostalgia about what Pak-US relations were.
There should be a national campaign in Pakistan making the citizens realize what not paying taxes is doing to the reputation of Pakistan. Our immature qaum has the habit of getting jazbaati over this issue of bheek/khairaat etc., yet no one talks about the national responsibility for the beghairat industrialists and the landlords to pay their taxes.
Other nations, in far tougher situations, have survived with their dignity intact. If these good for nothing leaders (civil and military) cannot come together despite having a massive Chinese investment in the country and shatter this cursed kashkol for good, Pakistan deserves all the ignominy that is piled on it. As a Pakistani, I myself cannot offer any sympathy to such a beghairat government polity or nation!
Someone needs to make our government realize that as a nation, we should be proud of our poverty if it allows us to live with dignity. Maybe a slightly jazbaati rant, but this is doable.
If the above is not acceptable, then take all the aid AND do the bidding of the master. The choice is quite simple!