Pakistan's 610,000-member armed forces, the world's eighth largest in 2000, are well trained and disciplined.The Armed Forces are highly respected in the civil society. USA, China and North Korea are among the leading collaborators. Indigenous development of Missiles are given importance though there are sources that convey the information that they are assisted by China and North Korea in most of the assignments claimed by themselves. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's normally robust training tempo, which if not reversed, will eventually impact the operational readiness of the Armed Forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining their aging fleet of American, Chinese, British and French equipment. While the industrial base capabilities have expanded significantly, limiting fiscal resources and various sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize the armed forces. Despite this, the Pakistani armed forces demonstrate great strength and armed capabilities which make it one of the strongest in the world.

Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third largest program after Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. While sanctions have been in effect since 1990, various amendments have authorized return of spare parts and end items already paid for by Pakistan. In addition, the U.S. and Pakistan have come to a financial agreement on the non-delivery of F-16s. However, Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the recent military coup have placed additional sanctions on Pakistan.

Military branches: Army , Navy, Air Force, Civil Armed Forces, National Guard

Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 34,632,509 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 21,206,148 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 1,604,806 (2000 est.)

Active troops

• 620,000 (Ranked 7th)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.435 billion (FY99/00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.9% (FY99/00)

Nuclear tests in May 1998 confirmed that Pakistan, like India, has nuclear weapons. In April 1998 Pakistan test fired a long-range missile easily capable of reaching the capital of India. This means that Pakistan's nuclear warheads can be delivered by airplanes and missiles, and reach most of India. See nuclear proliferation. Some of the sanctions that were handed to Pakistan have been relinquished and in early 2004 US president George W. Bush gave the government of Musharraf a $3 billion aid package that will undoubtablly be spent on the military. In March 2005, US government confirmed that it intends to sell two dozen F16 to Pakistan despite India resistance to the idea.

Since then Pakistan (and India) has tested numerous long range missiles however as of 2004 this has currentlly ceased most likely due to the current and lengthy peace talks debating both Kashmir and the two countries' trade ties.

The Highest Award given by the Military of Pakistan is the Nishan-E-Haider which has only been awarded to ten men since 1947

References and Links

• Pakistan