ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Monday said that the allocation for defence budget was only 18 percent and not 70 percent as believed by many, Geo News reported.
According to a statement issued by ISPR, Gen Kayani said that even out of that paltry 18 percent only 8-9 percent of funds trickled down to the sentinels of the country, which was a matter of serious concern.
Kayani seems to be demystifying a topic loved by all. I would love to hear an executive version of the truth if Kayani is playing with figures. Let us see if the ‘bloody civilians’ have anything to say in this regard…
the two biggest expenditures in our budget are debt servicing and military, can someone give the break down of the expenses during the current financial year?
Kayani may be right according to the figures. According to the Express Tribune, the defence budget for the fiscal 2010-2011 stood at 495.2 billion while the total size of the budget was 2767 billion. If you go by these figures, you will get a percentage of around 18%. According to this report, debt servicing takes 44% of the national budget.
It is actually around 25% if you include amounts not directly attributed to ‘defense budget’ but paid to military under other heads. This still excludes ‘aid’ and ‘assistance’ directly paid to military from foreign countries, almost free use of public resources (land, beaches and funds), subsidies on utilities and debt servicing on loans used to acquire military equipment.
If you exclude debt servicing from the budget (being not expenditure on people of Pakistan but finance costs) this percentage would be much higher.
One soldier is allowed to fire 13 bullits in one year. Talk about your “big portion” going to army.
May be we should increase the gross national income.
Or india ki tango ky neechy sy gurna seekih lo.. like srilanka and bangadeh.. War is game for rich country.
I don’t think Kayani is misstating facts here. We spend a pathetic 2% combined on health (0.4% of GDP) and education and the military budget (18%) is roughly 9 or 10 x that figure (4% of GDP)
If you exclude 44% of 2767 billions which is 1217.48 billions. So the acutal mount comes out to be 2767-1217.48=1549.52 billions. According these figures the army budget comes out be 32% not 18% as claimed by Kyani.
Agreed. But it is second highest in the world, the first one is UAE. The %age of defense budget to overall budget is even higher than India, China and America. It should never be more that 3%. Rest 29% should be diverted to health and education.
