Former Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reportedly admitted that Pakistan’s military is inferior to India’s and lacks the ammunition and economic strength to fight against India. He made these comments during a conference of commanders, according to Pakistani journalists Hamid Mir and Naseem Zehra. The revelations may raise questions about Pakistan’s military capability and hurt the morale of its forces. General Bajwa proposed to mend ties with India instead and work towards a solution for Kashmir. Pakistan is currently facing an economic crisis, relying heavily on external loans to keep its economy afloat, and also facing a fresh wave of terror with Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) attacking security personnel across northwestern Pakistan.
Pakistan views its army as a powerful institution in the country and one of the most important pillars of the state. However, General Bajwa’s admissions may impact India-hawks in Pakistan, as it shows that a prolonged conflict with India would drain the nation. It should be noted that Pakistan-based news outlet Dawn earlier reported that the threat of an “all-out war” with India was one of the security-related issues the government in Pakistan cited to avoid holding elections.
