Pakistan’s Military Inc: India May Target $250B Empire

As Pakistan drowns in a financial crisis, with skyrocketing inflation and shortages of essentials, its army and ISI live lavishly. The escalating India-Pakistan standoff, fueled by Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir’s radical anti-India, anti-Hindu rhetoric, has brought the two nations to the brink, with attacks on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam intensifying tensions.

PM Modi’s resolute vow—“We will hunt them down”—signals India’s intent to target not just terrorists but their enablers: Pakistan’s Army and ISI. With Pakistan’s economy too frail to sustain a prolonged war, Modi’s strategy could zero in on the military’s $20–100B+ business empire, Military Inc., a soft target that could cripple the terror nexus.

Why target Military Inc.? The Pakistan Army and ISI, the umbilical cord of terrorism, fund their operations through a sprawling corporate mafia selling fuel, cornflakes, shoes, and houses. Striking their business interests, as Major Gaurav Arya advocates, would hit where it hurts most, draining their resources and exposing their greed.

Scale of the Empire: Dubbed the world’s richest military, with a disclosed net worth of $250B (excluding ISI’s hidden wealth), Military Inc. generates $26.5B annually via the Fauji Foundation, Army Welfare Trust (AWT), and Defence Housing Authorities (DHAs). Offshore assets in tax havens could add hundreds of billions.

Corporate Mafia Operations: The Army acts like a mafia, seizing land and siphoning public funds meant for welfare. Generals retire as billionaires, profiting from monopolies while civilians starve. Fauji Foundation and Bahria Town epitomize this predatory empire.

Everyday Control: The military dominates daily life:

• Food: Fauji produces cornflakes, muesli, oats, milk, yogurt, sausages, burgers, and meatballs.
• Fuel: Frontier Oil Company (FOC) builds pipelines (e.g., a $370M, 470km project).
• Consumer Goods: Shoes and adult diapers are available via Fauji’s factories in Jhang and Rehmanabad.

Real Estate Dominance: DHAs in Karachi (12,000 acres), Islamabad (16,000 acres), Lahore, and Bahria Town’s developments turn free government land into elite housing sold at premium prices, enriching officers and marginalizing civilians.

Vast Portfolio: The military’s ventures span:

• Manufacturing: Cement (Askari Cement), fertilizer, steel, pharmaceuticals.
• Finance: Askari Bank, a top player.
• Energy: Wind, solar, oil, and gas exploration.
• Education: National University of Sciences and Technology, schools, colleges.
• Illicit Profits: Oil smuggling in Balochistan, mineral extraction bribes, and a global drug cartel fueling narco-terrorism.

 Why a Soft Target? Military Inc.’s $26.5B revenue and $250B wealth fund terrorism and lavish lifestyles. Sanctions, trade curbs, or exposing illicit activities like drug cartels and tax haven assets could disrupt their cash flow, weakening their ability to sustain terror or military operations.

Economic Drain: Pakistan’s foreign debt is $133.5B (late 2024). Military Inc.’s wealth could clear this in a year, yet it hoards resources, forcing IMF bailouts. Targeting its finances would expose this betrayal of Pakistan’s people.

Global Accountability: The U.S., the IMF’s largest donor, should halt Pakistan’s bailouts. This will force the military to use its wealth to pay off the national debt, highlighting its mafia-like greed.

Origins: Born in 1954 under Gen. Ayub Khan with the Fauji Foundation, the empire grew under Gen. Zia via land grabs and post-9/11 aid. It now controls 12% of Pakistan’s land and 3% of GDP.

Political Grip: Military Inc.’s wealth ensures political dominance—allegedly rigging elections for leaders like Imran Khan to secure business freedom. Civilian governments bow to its media and policy clout.

Internal Threats: Like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which vows to shut down “fauj ka dhanda,” targeting military businesses, India should also hit them where it hurts the most.

Corruption Exposed: Ayesha Siddiqa’s Military Inc. (2007) revealed its $20B+ scale as “Milbus”—military capital for personal gain. Scandals, like stolen peacocks from a general’s farm, highlight elite excess amid poverty.

Public Fury: Military ventures are trusted for efficiency, but boycotts, like post-2024 Islamabad protests, target Fauji products. Outrage at generals’ billionaire lifestyles grows as civilians lack flour.

Strategic Opportunity: Like Kashmir, where the administration disrupted terror financing, the Modi government should target Military Inc.’s economic lifelines. Global pressure on its narco-trade, oil smuggling, and offshore wealth could further cripple the military-ISI nexus.

Modi’s “hunt them down” vow could dismantle the Army-ISI axis by targeting their business soft spot. Will India and the world seize this chance? 🤔

Sources: Ayesha Siddiqa’s Military Inc., Major Gaurav Arya’s blog, Foreign Policy, Firstpost, Economic Times, Sunday Guardian Live, Dawn, Al Jazeera, Asia Times.