Pakistan Defence budget hiked by 15 percent

Pakistan has increased its defence budget by 15 percent for the coming fiscal year.

The move comes as the military is engaged in fighting a deadly Taliban insurgency in the strife-torn tribal regions.

According to the Express Tribune, the defence budget has been increased to up to Rs 627.2 billion for the financial year beginning on July 1.

In the outgoing fiscal year, Rs 545.3 billion were allocated for the defence budget, showing an increase of Rs 82 billion.

However, against the original allocation of Rs 545.3 billion, the military overspent Rs 25 billion, raising the total expenditure to Rs 570 billion in 2012-13.

 

The budget document revealed that a major share went to the army at Rs 301.54 billion, followed by the air force with Rs 131.18 billion and the navy with Rs 62.80 billion.

Of the total Rs 627.2 billion, Rs 271.2 billion have been allocated for employees-related expenses, Rs 162.2 billion for operating expenses and Rs 131.3 billion for physical assets, the report said.

The military will also be given Rs 150 billion under the contingent liability, Rs 70 billion under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) and Rs 35 billion has been allocated for the military's services to the UN peacekeeping missions, the report added.