Author: PTI
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: June 16, 2002
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/160602/dLNAT23.asp
The hefty hike in Pakistan's defence
budget reflects strains on the country's financial position, already under
close scrutiny of international lenders, due to prolonged deployment of
forces on the border, according to defence experts.
"The hefty Rs 15 billion hike over
last years's revised estimates marks much more than 14 per cent increase
in Islamabad's defence spending," Dr K Subramaniam, noted defence analyst
said.
The hike, he said, shows Islamabad
is paying heavily for prolonged border deployment.
He also attributed the defence budget
increase to the country having to call up reserve forces and also due to
emergency import of ammunition.
Pakistan had on Saturday announced
an increase of about Rs 15 billion in its defence budget to Rs 146 billion
as opposed to last year's Rs 131.6 billion saying its defence spending
cannot be curtailed in face of military tensions with India.
For the past few years, Pakistani
troops on the International Border as well as the Line of Control near
Jammu & Kashmir had been indulging in heavy shelling, burning up huge
artillery and heavy mortor ammunition.
It had imported American heavy guns,
Chinese 120 mm guns and 82 mm heavy mortar shells and resotring to shelling
to give cover to inflitrators crossing into India.
Another defence expert, Commodore
Uday Bhaskar, Deputy Director of the Institure of Defence Studies, said
that the increase in Pakistani defence budget was 3.5 per cent of the GDP
and it reflected that the country might be going in for some more arms
acquisitions.
