Kayani says austerity measures must be ‘balanced’

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Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Friday said Pakistan would have to strike the “right balance” between development and defence in order to make sustainable progress.

“For meaningful and sustainable progress, a nation has to strike the right balance between the requirements of development and defence,” Gen Kayani said while addressing a gathering at the army’s Command and Staff College in Quetta.

No army “operates in a vacuum” as the armed forces draw on the support of the nation to conduct “tasks in a manner that it contributes to the fulfilment of national polices, interests and aspirations,” he was quoted as saying in a military statement.

It is the duty of the armed forces to maintain “adequate capabilities and readiness to fulfil the tasks assigned” to them, he said.

Kayani’s remarks assume significance as prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif has hinted at austerity measures and budget cuts to cope with Pakistan’s economic crisis.

The Finance Ministry has reportedly estimated the defence budget for the next fiscal at Rs 627 billion.

According to a local media report, this estimate is 15 per cent more than the Rs 545 billion allocated for defence in the current financial year.

Besides, the allocation for civil armed forces has been estimated at Rs 33 billion, Rs 4 billion more than the current year’s outlay.

This will be in addition to Rs 6.3 billion for the Frontier Constabulary, Rs 1.5 billion for the Coast Guards, Rs 14.5 billion for the Pakistan Rangers and Rs 8.7 billion for the Interior Ministry.

According to media reports, Pakistan’s actual spending on defence during fiscal 2012-13 may be as high as Rs 913 billion, almost double the official allocation of Rs 545 billion.

5 COMMENTS

  1. We are willing to eat grass but will not let our army's defence requirments be compromised. We are at war with the enemies of the state. There should be no doubt about it—period

  2. Dear Kayani Sahib, if I disclose some Realities, surely a harmful poison for everyone. Bhotto was hanged, because he theft all the Illimited SR.Aids which were paid by KING SHAH FAISAL SHAHEED TO PLAN N INSTALATION OF PLANTS OF NUCLEAR POWERS…Zia was blasted into AIR (with group of very intelligent creams) in revenge of Bhotto…also…viceverse of…BB. Now for your Atomic Nuclear Power…very Imp.Hint…ONE SPIRITUAL HASTI FLEW FROM ITALIA BY ITALIAN AIRLINES TO JEDDA(KSA) ON 26/01/1998. FROM JEDDA TO KARACHI BY P.I.A. ON 28/01/1998. ARRIVED AT KARACHI ON 28TH. AT THE END HE WAS THROWN OUT FROM THE PLANE TO OUT OF A/P. BY A SMALL VAN. NOW COME TO THE POINT. YOUR F.I.A, POLICE IN MULTAN N INTELLIGENCE HAVE DISTURBED ME TOO MUCH. WHICH WILL BE POWERFUL…UR…KEY/OR/…..EARTHQUAKE????? DEAR THINK DEEPLY N FINDOUT MY ENEMIES. GOD BLESS YOU.

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