Sat Nov 30 11:43:53 UTC 2024: **Pakistan Ranks 9th in Global Firepower’s Top 10 Armies**
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s military has been ranked ninth in the world by Global Firepower’s 2024 Military Strength ranking, a comprehensive assessment of 145 nations based on over 60 factors. The ranking places the United States, Russia, and China at the top three positions, with India in fourth place.
Global Firepower highlights Pakistan’s substantial military assets, including over 3,700 tanks, 1,400 military aircraft, and 1.7 million personnel, with 654,000 active personnel—ranking it sixth globally in active military personnel. Its arsenal also includes over 50,000 armored vehicles, 600 rocket launchers, two destroyers, eight submarines, 114 naval ships, and 387 combat aircraft. Pakistan’s military expenditure is estimated at $6.3 billion, earning it a Power Index score of 0.1711.
However, the report also underscores the significant influence of the Pakistani military beyond its traditional defense role. Experts describe its extensive involvement in non-military sectors, including real estate, manufacturing, fertilizer production, and the food chain, likening its operations to a multinational corporation. This extensive economic involvement reflects the military’s long-standing dominance in Pakistani politics, business, and even entertainment, with the military even producing television dramas.
The ranking comes amidst a backdrop of rising global military spending, reaching $2.443 trillion according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), marking a continuous nine-year increase. This rise reflects growing global insecurity and geopolitical tensions.
First Piper 