The government on Friday proposed an allocation of Rs1.523 trillion for defence services for the fiscal year 2022-23 — an increase of 11.16 per cent over the initial allocation for the outgoing year (2021-22), according to the budget documents tabled in the National Assembly.
The government on Friday proposed an allocation of Rs1.523 trillion for defence services for the fiscal year 2022-23 — an increase of 11.16 per cent over the initial allocation for the outgoing year (2021-22), according to the budget documents tabled in the National Assembly.
The declared increase in defence budget was in sharp contrast to the cuts in spending on development sector (11pc), health (31pc), education (1.5pc) and housing (77pc).
It should be recalled that the stated figure of defence expenses never gives full picture. For instance, the government would in the next fiscal year be paying an additional amount of Rs395 million to retired military personnel as pensions — up from Rs360m last year.
There are other expenditures in the defence sector that are not fully disclosed like the expenses incurred on import of military hardware and running of the nuclear programme.
Many, therefore, believe that the actual spending is much higher than what is shared in the National Assembly.
Budget documents further showed the revision made in the defence allocation for the outgoing year. Initially Rs1.37tr had been allocated when the budget was announced last year.