Pakistan may hike defence budget by Rs 50 billion

Pakistan may hike its defence budget by Rs 50 billion for purchasing new weapon systems for its armed forces. The Pakistan government is likely to allocate Rs 273 billion for its defence budget in 2006-7 to help the armed forces to begin multi-billion rupee military procurement programme over the next five-year period, a media report said.

Defence authorities have sought an additional Rs 50 billion in next year’s budget over the current Rs 223.5 billion, Dawn newspaper quoted officials as saying. The budget excludes defence pensions.

Last year’s defence allocation amounted to three per cent of the GDP and was considered as ‘‘inadequate’’ for 2006-7, keeping in view increasing defence requirements of all three services, the officials said.

‘‘Roughly 20 per cent increase has been sought in the new defence budget,’’ an official said, adding there had been sanctions in one form or another during the last many years due to which there were no significant military purchases.