Ministry seeks increase in defence budget
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ISLAMABAD: The defence ministry has called for an increase in allocation for armed forces in the next budget on the ground that the current share is not enough.
“More funds are required for acquisition and mobilisation of new weapon systems,” the additional secretary of the ministry, Air Vice Marshal Arshad Qudoos, told a media briefing on defence budget arranged by the Senate Committee on Defence on Monday.
He said the amount provided in last year’s budget covered only the expenses incurred on salaries of troops and operational and maintenance costs.
Based on allocation for the outgoing fiscal year, the additional secretary said about 43 per cent of the defence budget had been spent on employees-related expenses, 26 per cent on operations and 10 per cent on civil works.
The remaining 21 per cent went to servicing and maintenance of equipment.
The budget for next fiscal year will be announced in the first week of next month. It is expected that the government will increase the allocation to meet the growing defence requirements.
Air Vice Marshal Qudoos compared Pakistan’s defence spending with other countries in the region, particularly India, and said that Pakistan was spending much less than others.
The country’s defence budget last year was $6.27 billion whereas India was spending about $37bn on its armed forces, he said.
He said Pakistan spent $8,427 on a soldier every year whereas India spent $24,075.
The additional secretary said changes in foreign exchange rate and rising inflation and petroleum prices over the year had decreased the actual value of the allocation.
The chairman of the Senate committee, Senator Mushahid Hussain, called for “openness” in defence spending. “People deserve to know how the defence budget is prepared and utilised.”
“There are no holy cows,” said Mr Mushahid, whose committee had hosted the first ever briefing on defence budget for the media.
Senator Farhatullah Babar said the defence budget was prepared on the basis of GHQ’s threat and national security perception to the exclusion of civil society.
He alleged that the budget lacked both transparency and accountability.
Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2014
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Comments (32) Closed
May 20, 2014 08:23am
What about the money from Shadi Halls, Bakeries, Banks , Petrol Pumps , other businesses the Army runs on the side. Does that income goes to Army top brass only.
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May 20, 2014 08:29am
Good Move. Pakistan should increase the defence budget by at least 10 times ( at least 70% of GDP). India's defence budget is much more than Pakistan. If defence budget can be increased then more stronger and larger force can be kept to counter attacks.
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May 20, 2014 08:56am
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May 20, 2014 09:15am
Wow. Definitely Army need more recreation centers for Officers. What for rest of the nation? PPO?
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May 20, 2014 09:19am
pak should only have defense budget and all business activities should come under fauji foundation.
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May 20, 2014 09:27am
the time is not so far when 85 % budget will be for defencece and 15 % for rest of pakistan ...we should get rid of terrorists to decrease defence budget,
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May 20, 2014 09:33am
@PeaceLover
whats about education and health budget????
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May 20, 2014 09:43am
is our economy vibrant enough to support a hefty defense budget?
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May 20, 2014 09:45am
@sarah shah Who needs education and health when we strong army?
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May 20, 2014 09:47am
Why not 100%. ? quoting Dawn "According to the United Nations, Pakistan had a gross domestic product of US $215 billion in the year 2012. In comparison, GDP for Turkey was recorded at $788 billion, India at $1,875bn, and China at $8,358bn."
If you compare GDP with defense spending, Pakistan is Champion.. should get trophy for being no:1 Spend everything on military so that you have nothing to defend...
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May 20, 2014 09:48am
@sarah shah Army, Government and Debt servicing take up 80% of the Pakistani budget. If we give more to th Army these will take up 100% of the budget and poor citizens will be on their own.
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May 20, 2014 10:16am
Acquisition of latest weapons is mandatory for us. Potent and credible deterrence is the only way to keep the enemy at bay. Not only airforce, but navy, army and strategic forces also need some money to keep themselves at some comparable level with India and now Afghanistan as well.
For all the pessimists and Indian bloggers out there, welfare projects are run by trusts and foundations which are run by retired servicemen and civilian officers, so the beneficiaries are both defence and civilians.
For those enthralled by Ayesha Siddiqa, facts and figures are much distorted and then presented in the print media to create sensations. And few of the readers would be surprised to know that similar welfare projects are being run by Indian Army as well, but their media is restricted and not allowed to raise undue hue and cry. We should learn from them.
Peace.
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May 20, 2014 10:17am
The army is the only institution left that is reasonably free of corruption. I have seen many army officers and soldiers; from brigadiers to to soldiers tearing the same khaki wrappings around chapatis to eat with dall in camps in Thar.
Shame on polititions who spend millions of our budget to visit That in order to show *sympathy* with the people Wherever army has come, Sindh has become better. Even though it is not their responsibility they have always set up welfare projects for the people.
Go ask people in Sindh where there are cantonments;
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May 20, 2014 10:18am
@Sayyar Khan They are welfare non-profit projects so that it becomes easy for people to access things.
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May 20, 2014 10:33am
We need to get our figures right before passing comments. Last year the largest single expense was loan servicing interest payment (1,154 b.), Defence expenditure was 627 b., Federal PSDP (540 b.), running of civil govt (275 b.), subsidies (240 b.).
Also the bulk of the army does not live in Rawalpindi, but spend time in scenic places like Siachin, Waziristan, Chorr, Sadda, Jandola and Chakothi. Any volunteers for these picnic spots!
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May 20, 2014 10:33am
@PeaceLover . Is it a satire?
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May 20, 2014 10:34am
@ashok kumar lal Absolutely, it is the army which has guided our nation's economy all these years.
In the past there were some problems created by Indian agency by creating civil govt control in Pakistan and loss to economy, But, insha allha, wish our army will curb the evil designs of the Pakistani politicians who are over friends with India.
Pakistan's economy and defense was progressing while Musharraf was in power, we got f16's, howitzer's, best logistics vehicles for troops. The last 7 years the Pakistani army has suffered due to ill equipment.
It is time that fauji men are'nt betrayed by the evil civil govt to appease voters.
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May 20, 2014 10:39am
We need to re-visit our foreign policy. We have created a lot of enemies without reason. We seriously need to sit and ponder where we went astray. We should stretch out our hand of friendship to all specially the countries with whom we share our
borders. We would then not be needing such a huge army on whom we are spending such a hefty amount (not to mention on their perks and privileges).
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May 20, 2014 10:49am
"He said Pakistan spent $8,427 on a soldier every year whereas India spent $24,075. "
The $8,427 figure for Pak Army does not include DHA plots given to Pakistan Army Officers. If you include the DHA plots given to pak army officers they will give the Indians a run for their money.
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May 20, 2014 10:53am
What about my corner plot in DHA?? I want one too claimed the participants of the Corps Commanders meeting.
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May 20, 2014 11:01am
@PeaceLover We should spend more than India......no problem if India size / population is 7 times more than us......and its economy is much more stronger than us. Why should be leg behind India ...at least in this respect .....if we are not able to compete with India in any other field. No need to compare with India in terms of consumer index where vegetables, food stuff, medicines etc etc are cheaper despite it having many times more mouths to feed.
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May 20, 2014 11:35am
@Sayyar Khan
yes it does that all money is used to buy loyalties ,fill Swiss accounts and make honest promises to the voters
wait ... thats PMLn sorry
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May 20, 2014 12:34pm
@PeaceLover Wow and then people of Pakistan must eat grass is it?
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May 20, 2014 01:18pm
@PeaceLover , India Budget is greater than pakistan, but india has more army and great territory than pakistan, we should not compare with India with respect to budget, but should compare all the army, land of india, population, their whole income.
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May 20, 2014 01:18pm
@nafees , bro i wish they could understand what u r trying to convey
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May 20, 2014 01:21pm
@safar shah , they pay for these DHA plots from their pay throughout their service in shape of monthly installments , and pay the TAX as well , plz do some research before commenting on Public forum
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May 20, 2014 01:51pm
@sarah shah I thought that the peace lover was just being sarcastic.
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May 20, 2014 01:57pm
@nafees To the defence expenditure, one must also add the expenditure due to pension payments for the retired personnel as this fund is not a part of the defence budget but has been conveniently placed under a seperate head. This makes the defence budget less fatter.
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May 20, 2014 03:38pm
There should also be a comparison on the amount of budget India spends on education, health and development. Sirf defence ka budget he nazar ata ha!!!
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May 20, 2014 04:43pm
@sarah shah Make golf grounds for so called terrorist and see the difference after?
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May 22, 2014 08:46am
As per the GDP, We are spending far more on defence than other countriies. Is it the JOB of the Army to run Shadee Halls, Bakeries, Banks, Petrol Pumps etc.? What a JOKE! Wish sensible people Both in India & Pakistan come to a solution so that we both can get rid of the Armies (Who have become Giant Corporations) & we both most certainly cannot afford. The Monies saved would do a lot to bring the poor people of both countries out of their Abject Poverty & Misery. Let us work on bringing Total Peace in the World by Example. It can be done.
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May 23, 2014 12:18am
Really? Where do they think the money is going to come from? And also, what has our military done to deserve this increase? The billions that are already going into their coffers, what have they got to show for that?
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