Islamabad: 18 percent increase in defence budget approved

A meeting of the NA standing committee on defence held at the Parliament House on Thursday under its Chairperson, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho. Talking to media men after the meeting, Dr Azra said defence requirements of the armed forces were reviewed at length during the meeting and approval had been accorded for an increase by 18 percent in the defence budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the wake of growing inflation. After this increase, the defence budget share would be Rs. 500 billion.The authorities of the defence minister told the Committee that 25 percent of defence budget was spent on the purchase of defence equipment while the major share was consumed on the ongoing military expenditures.