Solving the Ground force's Technology Gap Gambit for Pakistan

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

The goal of the Article is to debate the obvious , gap in Pakistan's Ground Troop capabilities at Least the obvious i.e Technological backwardness.

The frequency of Young Troops dying at front lines is perplexing considering the battle is between a Nation , and few random figures in "Afghan rouge region". Typically one imagines that the Nation would deploy maximum usage of Technology to reduce the deaths and minimize casualties.

Pakistan, is not a poor country by Any means with Healthy figures of 300-500 Billion GDP , and large abundant man power and strong military. Compared to that the rouge force groups are merely few hundred figures with basic ammo

What are the key areas that Pakistan has to make ample effort in

a) Improving Support from Air at Low Speed Air born vehicles (such as Helicopter Gunship)

b) Designing Patrol activities in remote areas done only in Safe secure Vehicles like APC
and Team of Soldiers to support each other till Air Support comes.

c) Creation of Environment where Troops who sleep outdoors are not exposed to Ambush ,
some form of Automated Surveillance which can detect Any Troop movement for Air in
night

d) Dependence on Self driving Vehicles along the border stretch , armed Self driving
vehicles.


Self Driving Border Patrol - Autonomous Terminator

Fairly Simple to Fly a drone

Pakistan needs to adopt an aggressive Technology upgrade on how to combat Afghan Rouge region

There is no reason why UAV cannot be deployed to provide air support in remote areas specially in night time , while some troops may be asleep etc


CITY WIDE SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS
Another Area which perhaps is 100% Must now in Pakistan is implementation of Facial Recognition Centers

NADRA's picture database should be used together with Chinese technology to figure out various criminal assets operating in Crime/ Espionage / Anti Pakistan actitives

We need to Import latest tech , to Track down criminal elements inside country
The technology exists to detect criminal activities happening (robbery , fighting , or disturbances)

Similar setup at Military checkpost will also ensure full history of person is maintained


We would be able to better track Cars/ Number plates / People who are entering border areas/ cities. Also we will be able to better track questionable people seen attending questionable seen of crime


All the ATM crimes , cases of robbery can be detected easily

 

[alphaxyz]

300-500 Billion GDP

How does one arrive at a figure of 300-500 billion? Just how? A margin of 200 b usd.

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

Make people pay taxes.

The goal of the Article is to debate the obvious , gap in Pakistan's Ground Troop capabilities at Least the obvious i.e Technological backwardness.

The frequency of Young Troops dying at front lines is perplexing considering the battle is between a Nation , and few random figures in "Afghan rouge region". Typically one imagines that the Nation would deploy maximum usage of Technology to reduce the deaths and minimize casualties.

Pakistan, is not a poor country by Any means with Healthy figures of 300-500 Billion GDP , and large abundant man power and strong military. Compared to that the rouge force groups are merely few hundred figures with basic ammo

What are the key areas that Pakistan has to make ample effort in

a) Improving Support from Air at Low Speed Air born vehicles (such as Helicopter Gunship)

b) Designing Patrol activities in remote areas done only in Safe secure Vehicles like APC
and Team of Soldiers to support each other till Air Support comes.

c) Creation of Environment where Troops who sleep outdoors are not exposed to Ambush ,
some form of Automated Surveillance which can detect Any Troop movement for Air in
night

d) Dependence on Self driving Vehicles along the border stretch , armed Self driving
vehicles.


Self Driving Border Patrol - Autonomous Terminator

Fairly Simple to Fly a drone

Pakistan needs to adopt an aggressive Technology upgrade on how to combat Afghan Rouge region

There is no reason why UAV cannot be deployed to provide air support in remote areas specially in night time , while some troops may be asleep etc


CITY WIDE SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS
Another Area which perhaps is 100% Must now in Pakistan is implementation of Facial Recognition Centers

NADRA's picture database should be used together with Chinese technology to figure out various criminal assets operating in Crime/ Espionage / Anti Pakistan actitives

We need to Import latest tech , to Track down criminal elements inside country
The technology exists to detect criminal activities happening (robbery , fighting , or disturbances)

Similar setup at Military checkpost will also ensure full history of person is maintained


We would be able to better track Cars/ Number plates / People who are entering border areas/ cities. Also we will be able to better track questionable people seen attending questionable seen of crime


All the ATM crimes , cases of robbery can be detected easily

Chal Oye

How does one arrive at a figure of 300-500 billion? Just how? A margin of 200 b usd.

 

[The Accountant]

How does one arrive at a figure of 300-500 billion? Just how? A margin of 200 b usd.

300 is actual GDP figure --- the official number whereas 200 is added for undocumented economy which is said to be 40% as per different reports therefore he is referrinf to figure of economy between 300 b (official GDP = 60%) + 200 b (unofficial GDP 40%) ...

However, unofficial GDP as of now is only a potential area as same cannot be use for country defences as of now as it is off the books ..

 

[XDescendantX]

During World War II the Allied Powers used Ghost Armies (example: inflatable tanks) to fool the Axis Powers several times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Army

I suggest Pakistan use this same strategy in the form of fake forward bases (Ghost bases). Backed up by surveillance cameras and alarms to let the soldiers know the Ghost bases have been infiltrated. Then bug the Ghost bases with explosives or knockout gas depending on whether they want to capture or kill the attackers.

I believe this is the best cost efficient way and it will save over 90% of Pakistani soldiers lives.

 

[alphaxyz]

300 is actual GDP figure --- the official number whereas 200 is added for undocumented economy which is said to be 40% as per different reports therefore he is referrinf to figure of economy between 300 b (official GDP = 60%) + 200 b (unofficial GDP 40%) ...

However, unofficial GDP as of now is only a potential area as same cannot be use for country defences as of now as it is off the books ..

Exactly you cant assign unaccounted money, no matter the amount to your defense budget.

 

[Signalian]

During World War II the Allied Powers used Ghost Armies (example: inflatable tanks) to fool the Axis Powers several times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Army

I suggest Pakistan use this same strategy in the form of fake forward bases (Ghost bases). Backed up by surveillance cameras and alarms to let the soldiers know the Ghost bases have been infiltrated. Then bug the Ghost bases with explosives or knockout gas depending on whether they want to capture or kill the attackers.

I believe this is the best cost efficient way and it will save over 90% of Pakistani soldiers lives.

Deception is a very powerful tool when cleverly used. Dummy tanks and armoured vehicles popping up out of nowhere can fool many strategists.

 

[CriticalThought]

Deception is a very powerful tool when cleverly used. Dummy tanks and armoured vehicles popping up out of nowhere can fool many strategists.

In Urdu we say 'Ghar ka bhedi lanka dhai'. I have unfortunately seen videos of TTP making mockery out of Pak Army traps. These guys are smart and learn quickly. They need to be eliminated by removing the oxygen that fuels their fire.

 

[niaz]

This is not a temporary or passing crisis. Violent extremist threats come from a range of groups and individuals, most of whom are home-grown. A terrorist attack is relatively easy to conduct. Pakistan has many exposed and soft targets such as airport, a crowded celebration, a bus station at peak hours, and or places of worship such a mosque of a church. And the potential weapons are too many to count and too easy to get hold of such as a couple of young naïve suicide bombers, a truck / car full of explosives or two thugs armed with Klashnikovs riding a motor bike.

It is impossible to protect all places and a determined lone terrorist or a small group will always find some unprotected victim. The use of military force to bomb terrorist havens / hide-outs has been one of the most appealing strategies. However this can also be counterproductive because collateral damage often becomes a powerful recruitment tool for enticing the naïve unemployed youth to the extremist cause.

What prevents a terrorist act is getting right in the middle of them, conducting surveillance, recruiting people within the organisation, recruiting outsiders to infiltrate the group and developing undercover operations. In other words, no strategy to combat terrorism will succeed unless it is based on accurate intelligence. Therefore state of the art technology is required for tracking online communication and intelligence gathering thru infiltration, especially among the terrorist facilitators. However, no matter how many gadgets, mine resistant vehicles etc your security forces have, no more than a partial success is possible by the use of force.

Whereas it is easy to blame lack of technology for the intelligence failures; who has got more gadgets than the US and her European allies? France certainly has one the best but did the technology stop Charlie Hebdo attack?
Everyone knows that extremist ideology fostering Islamic terrorism is the greatest threat to the country; still the ideological dimension is often overlooked. We must realize that force / gun alone or even combined with technology would not defeat this kind of terrorism.

It requires a multi - faceted approach. In addition to eliminating the poisonous literature & funding of the terrorist organizations, urgent work is needed to change mid-set of the people. We need to treat terrorists and their sympathisers as common criminals and also treat the media a well as all the anchors and analysts who directly or indirectly justify terrorist acts as common criminals too.

Rather than remaining silent about our Sunni allies and the Shia neighbour; we have to take the bull by the horn and demand that they /their citizens, cease funding hard-line groups and stop using Pakistan for their proxy war.

A program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the local law enforcement authorities needs to be implemented.

Finally; terrorists legitimize their violent acts as a response to the poverty, unemployment, and other socio-political inequalities. One of their claims being that all one needs to do is to implement the Sharia and all problems will automatically be solved.

This may be true if one could find another Hazrat Omar (RA) to run the country but alas that is not possible. However legitimate grievances such as improvement in the justice system, reducing corruption and initiating employment generating projects would certainly help. Alas there is no political will to seriously tackle religious extremism. National Action plan remains largely un-implemented. Even main stream political leaders like Imran Khan provide funds to the Taliban nursery to court extremist vote in the coming general election.

Punitive measures have also been ineffective; most of the terrorists don’t get caught and those who do; go free due to the police incompetency. Even the sentences of those who have been tried and found guilty are not carried out for the fear of the backlash. Least we can do is to carry out the death sentence quickly after it has been decreed by the court.

Pak Army has done a great job and extremist acts have decreased to a large extent, but in my humble opinion, these acts will not disappear because many of my countrymen including political figures still carry a soft spot for the terrorist killers. Therefore we have to be mentally & physically prepared to live and survive in this environment for a few years more.

 

[Awan68]

During World War II the Allied Powers used Ghost Armies (example: inflatable tanks) to fool the Axis Powers several times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Army

I suggest Pakistan use this same strategy in the form of fake forward bases (Ghost bases). Backed up by surveillance cameras and alarms to let the soldiers know the Ghost bases have been infiltrated. Then bug the Ghost bases with explosives or knockout gas depending on whether they want to capture or kill the attackers.

I believe this is the best cost efficient way and it will save over 90% of Pakistani soldiers lives.

not possible with advent of drone survielence mate and even if possible, the expense wouldnt justify the feeble gains, that ghost tanks etc is a good strategy though still applicable in modern warfare

This is not a temporary or passing crisis. Violent extremist threats come from a range of groups and individuals, most of whom are home-grown. A terrorist attack is relatively easy to conduct. Pakistan has many exposed and soft targets such as airport, a crowded celebration, a bus station at peak hours, and or places of worship such a mosque of a church. And the potential weapons are too many to count and too easy to get hold of such as a couple of young naïve suicide bombers, a truck / car full of explosives or two thugs armed with Klashnikovs riding a motor bike.

It is impossible to protect all places and a determined lone terrorist or a small group will always find some unprotected victim. The use of military force to bomb terrorist havens / hide-outs has been one of the most appealing strategies. However this can also be counterproductive because collateral damage often becomes a powerful recruitment tool for enticing the naïve unemployed youth to the extremist cause.

What prevents a terrorist act is getting right in the middle of them, conducting surveillance, recruiting people within the organisation, recruiting outsiders to infiltrate the group and developing undercover operations. In other words, no strategy to combat terrorism will succeed unless it is based on accurate intelligence. Therefore state of the art technology is required for tracking online communication and intelligence gathering thru infiltration, especially among the terrorist facilitators. However, no matter how many gadgets, mine resistant vehicles etc your security forces have, no more than a partial success is possible by the use of force.

Whereas it is easy to blame lack of technology for the intelligence failures; who has got more gadgets than the US and her European allies? France certainly has one the best but did the technology stop Charlie Hebdo attack?
Everyone knows that extremist ideology fostering Islamic terrorism is the greatest threat to the country; still the ideological dimension is often overlooked. We must realize that force / gun alone or even combined with technology would not defeat this kind of terrorism.

It requires a multi - faceted approach. In addition to eliminating the poisonous literature & funding of the terrorist organizations, urgent work is needed to change mid-set of the people. We need to treat terrorists and their sympathisers as common criminals and also treat the media a well as all the anchors and analysts who directly or indirectly justify terrorist acts as common criminals too.

Rather than remaining silent about our Sunni allies and the Shia neighbour; we have to take the bull by the horn and demand that they /their citizens, cease funding hard-line groups and stop using Pakistan for their proxy war.

A program to raise public awareness of indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime and to emphasize the importance of reporting suspicious activity to the local law enforcement authorities needs to be implemented.

Finally; terrorists legitimize their violent acts as a response to the poverty, unemployment, and other socio-political inequalities. One of their claims being that all one needs to do is to implement the Sharia and all problems will be automatically be solved.

This may be true if one could find another Hazrat Omar (RA) to run the country but alas that is not possible. However legitimate grievances such as improvement in the justice system, reducing corruption and initiating employment generating projects would certainly help. Alas there is no political will to seriously tackle religious extremism. National Action plan remains largely un-implemented. Even main stream political leaders like Imran Khan provide funds to the Taliban nursery to court extremist vote in the coming general election.

Punitive measures have also been ineffective; most of the terrorists don’t get caught and those who do; go free due to the police incompetency. Even the sentences of those who have been tried and found guilty are not carried out for the fear of the backlash. Least we can do is to carry out the death sentence quickly after it has been decreed by the court.

Pak Army has done a great job and extremist acts have decreased to a large extent, but in my humble opinion, these acts will not disappear because many of my countrymen including political figures still carry a soft spot for the terrorist killers. Therefore we have to be mentally & physically prepared to live and survive in this environment for a few years more.

Contrary to popular belief there are no lone wolves in this world, every act has strings attached to its base that go places we are not willing to follow to for some reasons, sympathy for such elements is not the problem, sympathy generated by monetary benefits to important positions in our govt and others sectors is what plagues us, follow the money and the leviathan vanishes. Place extreme laws to scrutinize bank accounts and properties of people in important positions and 99.9% of terrorism vanishes automatically. An economic solution is almost always the most long lasting one. Make Patriotism and adherence to the state a lucrative venture and volla u have an impregnable concrete society akin to hobbes theory of absolutism. How affairs stand right now, treason with Pakistan is a very lucrative venture and has no consequences.

 

[alimobin memon]

During World War II the Allied Powers used Ghost Armies (example: inflatable tanks) to fool the Axis Powers several times.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Army

I suggest Pakistan use this same strategy in the form of fake forward bases (Ghost bases). Backed up by surveillance cameras and alarms to let the soldiers know the Ghost bases have been infiltrated. Then bug the Ghost bases with explosives or knockout gas depending on whether they want to capture or kill the attackers.

I believe this is the best cost efficient way and it will save over 90% of Pakistani soldiers lives.

pakistan has been using ruse tactics for example as mentioned by you inflatable tanks as seen in IDEAS

 

[BERKEKHAN2]

pakistan has been using ruse tactics for example as mentioned by you inflatable tanks as seen in IDEAS

What about BAT [emoji23]