THE complex and deeply saddening situation unfolding in Iran should serve as the ultimate, the most powerful, and the most urgent eye-opener for the entire nation. It must function as a final wake-up call for those voices, both within Pakistan and in the broader discourse, that persist in advocating for a false, dangerous and ultimately suicidal choice.

There is a persistent, often naive, and sometimes deliberately misleading narrative that posits a fundamental, zero-

sum trade-off between building a strong economy and maintaining a strong defence. This narrative, often heard in drawing rooms, on television talk shows, and in certain academic circles, argues, with a veneer of pseudo-sophistication, that the vast resources allocated to the military and national defence are resources effectively stolen from the people, re-sources that could have been spent on schools, hospitals, roads and social welfare programmes. This argument is not just strategically unwise; it is a clear, un-ambiguous and horrifyingly effective blueprint for eventual national suicide, for the dismantling of everything that our generations have fought for and built.

The living, breathing examples of nations that prioritised the glittering facade of economic prosperity over the hardened steel of defensive capability can now be seen in the exodus from Gulf countries, with people fleeing their sky-scrapers, and, indeed, in the humiliating political turmoil and compromised sovereignty of Venezuela. In both cases, their immense, resource-based wealth could not purchase them even a moment of genuine security when the moment

of ultimate strategic truth arrived, when the missiles were in the air, or the foreign operatives were on the ground. They were forced to learn the hardest and the most bitter lesson of all: that a massive bank account, a thriving stock market and a portfolio of global investments are rendered utterly meaningless if the nation itself is not alive, not sovereign, and not at all in control of its own destiny to spend, enjoy or leverage that wealth.

In the current era, characterised by the proliferation of missile technology, the complexities of hybrid warfare involving state and non-state actors, and the ever-present reality of cyber and information warfare, a strong economy is not a fortress; it is a hostage, a prize waiting to be claimed if it is not protected by a strong, credible and modern defence apparatus.

The economy provides the essential resources for the wellbeing and prosperity of the people, but it is the national defence that provides the most fundamental, non-negotiable precondition for the very existence of the nation.

This monumental truth demands not a reduction in defence preparedness, but an even greater, more focused and more sustained national effort to strengthen and modernise it. The rapidly evolving unpredictable situation in the region necessitates that Pakistan’s defence and deterrence posture should continuously, relentlessly and strategically reviewed, upgraded and reinforced.

Complacency in the realm of national security can only endanger long-term survival. To ensure peace, security and sovereignty of Pakistan, investment in national defence in all its dimensions must be viewed as the single most critical, most essential and most non-negotiable insurance premium that the nation can possibly pay. This is not a burdensome expenditure competing with development.

Abdul Basit Alvi
Muzaffarabad

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026