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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Rs10 billion set out for security of Chinese nationals

By Usman Manzoor
May 27, 2017

Rs32 billion earmarked for capacity enhancement

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan spent an extra Rs10.387 billion for raising of Special Security Division of Chinese working on various projects in the country. This expenditure was not covered in the original budget of last fiscal year; therefore, the sum was charged upon from the supplementary grants. Not only this, an extra Rs5 billion was spent in lieu of security allowance.

During the fiscal year 2016-17, the government also spent over Rs 32 billion on capacity building and enhancement of Pakistan army, law enforcement agencies on the western border, the Fortier Corps and Balochistan Corps. To meet raising/recurring expenditure of Capacity enhancement of Western Border an amount of Rs 11.381 billion was released by the federal government as supplementary grant. For FC Balochistan Rs 3.143 billion and for FC KPK Rs 3.993 billion extra were spent for their capacity enhancement.

The Ministry of Defense Services also spent Rs11.348 billion on capacity building of Pakistan Army and for SSD another Rs144 million was spent as supplementary grant. A helicopter was purchased for FC Balochistan for Rs1.08 billion from the suplimentary grant while another helicopter for FC KP was bought for Rs600 million. 

For capacity enhancement and for SSD Wing Pakistan Rangers Punjab an extra Rs1.626 billion was spent while on Sindh Rangers Rs 1.089 billion was spent under the same head from the supplementary grants. The cabinet division has spent Rs140 million extra on purchase of technical equipment for the security detail of President of Pakistan. Another Rs1.25 billion was spent on purchase of security/technical equipment of VVIP security from the supplementary grant.  

Financial assistance to families of Pakistani workers laid off by their Saudi employers without payment of dues cost the government Rs500 million. The Prime Minister also exceeded his discretionary grant limit by Rs3 million.

FBR paid Rs416.9 million to the counsels of defending case at ICSID Tribunal in case No. 11/8-Agility PWC, KSC vs Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Statistic Division was given an extra Rs7.1 billion 6th population and housing census operation while another Rs6 billion was given to the division to pay the expenditure of other departments for rendering their services. Statistic Division spent another Rs5.4 billion on hiring of vehicles.

National Accountability Bureau sought Rs260 million for the government which was released as supplementary grant. The budget document says that in 2016-17 the government spent Rs310.451 billion over and above the allocated funds in lieu of supplementary grants.

“The category of supplementary grants is meant to provide funds for expenditure for purposes that were not foreseen at the time of finalization of demands for grants. Such supplementary grants put additional burden on the budget”.