Pakistan hikes defence allocation by 10 per cent

Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday increased the defence allocation in its fiscal 2012-13 budget to Rs 545 billion (about $5.82 billion), marking an increase of 10 per cent over the outlay for the current fiscal.

The allocation for the defence services amounted to 18.4 per cent of the federal budget of Rs 2,960 billion for fiscal 2012-13.

Further details, including allocations for the three services and weapons acquisition programmes, were not immediately available.

The allocation for the defence services amounted to 18.4 per cent of the federal budget of Rs 2,960 billion.

Official budget documents presented in parliament said a sum of Rs 545 billion had been allocated for the defence services for 2012-13, compared with Rs 495 billion provided in the fiscal year ending on June 30.

The budget documents further stated that the actual expenditure on defence during fiscal 2011-12 was estimated Rs 509.32 billion (about $5.45 billion), or Rs 14.32 billion more than the allocation of Rs 495 billion.

The documents further showed that the government had allocated Rs 3.250 billion for projects of the Defence Division under the Public Sector Development Programme for 2012-13.

Out of this allocation, Rs 717 million will be spent on projects of the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission.

Rs 1.347 billion was earmarked for the National Electronics Complex of Pakistan while Rs 600 million was provided for the New Gwadar International Airport.

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