Web Desk
The government of Pakistan has proposed a defense budget of Rs1.804 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year, marking an increase of around 13% compared to the revised allocation for the current year. According to the budget documents for the 2023-24 fiscal year, defense expenditure constitutes approximately 1.7% of the GDP and 12.5% of the total planned government expenditure.
In the previous year, Rs1.57 trillion was allocated for defense affairs and services, but it was later revised upwards to Rs1.59 trillion. The latest allocation reveals that the army received the largest share of Rs824.6 billion, followed by the Pakistan Air Force with Rs368.5 billion, and the Pakistan Navy with Rs188.2 billion.
Additionally, the pension for retired military officials has increased by 26% to Rs563 billion from Rs446 billion in the outgoing fiscal year. It’s important to note that the military’s pension is not included in the budget for defense services, and other defense-related procurements and strategic programs are not itemized, including the budget for strategic nuclear arsenals.
The breakdown of the defense budget includes allocations for defense administration, employee-related expenses, operating expenses, physical assets, and civil works. These allocations encompass salaries, allowances, transport, petroleum, oil and lubricants, rations, medical treatment, training, local and imported procurements of arms and ammunition, infrastructure maintenance, and construction of new buildings.
Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2023-24, the government has allocated Rs3.4 billion for ongoing and new schemes within the defense division. This includes funds for developing an ICT and Artificial Intelligence-Based Precision Agriculture System, establishing the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) and Aviation City Pakistan (ACP), conducting a feasibility study for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), and other initiatives related to education, healthcare, and infrastructure development.
Furthermore, Rs2 billion has been allocated for two ongoing projects in Defense Production, including the establishment of a shipyard at Gwadar and infrastructure upgrades at Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
The proposed defense budget reflects the government’s focus on strengthening the country’s defense capabilities and supporting ongoing initiatives in the defense sector.
