11pc raise in defence budget

Rs860 bn to go for armed forces; Pak Army to get Rs409 bn, PAF Rs182.7 bn, Navy Rs93.3 bn; Pak defence budget is six times less than India’s

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed Rs860 billion defence budget for the fiscal year 2016-2017 to cater for the armed forces.

“The defence budget is being increased from revised estimates of Rs776 billion for the year 2015-2016 to Rs860 billion for the financial year 2016-2017, which is an increase of about 11 percent,” the finance minister said in his budget speech on the floor of the National Assembly.

The defence budget is about 26 percent of the total estimated current expenditure of Rs3,400 billion for the year 2016-2017. “The current expenditure estimated for the year 2016-2017 shows an increase of 3.6 percent against revised estimate of Rs3,282 billion for the year 2015-2016,” the minister.

Ishaq Dar said the government, however, catered to the armed forces keeping in view the security challenges.

The Pakistan Army would get major chunk of Rs409 billion from the total defence budget. The major part of it which is Rs229 billion would go to employees related expenses and Rs73.6 billion for operating expenditure.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) would receive Rs182.7 billion with Rs38 billion will go to employees related expenses and Rs88 billion for physical assets. The Pakistan Navy’s budget has been kept at Rs93.3 billion. Out of it, Rs25 billion would be spent on employees and Rs43 billion for physical assets.

An amount of Rs174 has been proposed for Defence Production Establishments, ISOs and Accounts Organs. Pakistan’s defence budget which is Rs8.26 billion in terms of US dollars is six times less than defence budget of India. The Indian government had announced over $51 billion defence budget in February, last for the fiscal year 2016-2017.