Defence budget shrinking in GDP terms: DG ISPR

Military leadership believes Musharraf should be brought back to Pakistan, says Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar

KARACHI:

The chief military spokesperson has sought to quash the perception that the defence budget has been hiked for the next fiscal year, saying that defence allocations have actually been reduced if inflation and rupee depreciation are factored in.

The budget document shows that the defence outlay for financial year 2022-23 would be Rs1,523 billion as compared to the revised defence spending of Rs1,483 earmarked for the ongoing fiscal. However, the proposed increase in defence spending reaches 11 per cent when compared with the pre-revision budget of Rs1,370 billion.

Observers, however, say that given the runaway inflation in reality there was no increase in defence spending during the last three years.

Also read: Ailing ex-president Musharraf ‘wants to spend rest of his life in Pakistan’

Citing a ritualistic debate on defence allocations after every budget, DG ISPR Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said in a TV interview that the military expenditures were based on “threat perception, challenges, deployment and availability of resources”.

“Considering all factors, the military has not sought any increase in its budgetary allocations since 2020… defence budget has been actually reduced. It was 2.8pc of GDP last year and now it stands at 2.2%, so the defence spending is going down in GDP terms.”

Speaking about the austerity measures, he said that the military has issued instructions for conserving fuel and curtailing expenditures. The military would observe Friday as a “dry day” which means no official transport would be used except in emergency.

Asked about the ailing former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, Maj Gen Babar said that the military brass believes he should be brought back to Pakistan. Gen (retd) Musharraf, who has been living in Dubai since 2106, is critically ill and his family says it is impossible for him to recover.

جنرل مشرف کی خراب صحت کے پیش نظر انکو وطن واپس آنے میں کوئی رکاوٹ نہیں ھونا چاہیے. ماضی کے واقعات کواس سلسلے میں مانع نہیں ھونے دینا چاہیے .اللہ انکو صحت دے اور وہ عمر کے اس حصہ میں وقار کیساتھ اپنا وقت گزار سکیں..

— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 11, 2022

“General Pervez Musharraf's health is very bad. In such a situation, the leadership of the institution is of the view that he should be brought back to Pakistan. But this decision will be made by his family and doctors,” he said while adding that Musharraf’s family has been contacted for this purpose.

If the family gives its consent, then arrangements would be made to bring him back.

The Express Tribune reported on Monday that Musharraf desires to spend the rest of his life in Pakistan. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that there should be no obstacle in Musharraf's return. Asif also prayed for his health so that he could live his remaining life with ‘dignity’.

Read more: Rs1.52tr allocated for defence spending

Former prime minister Imran Khan has repeatedly claimed that he had been ousted from power through a foreign conspiracy.

However, Maj Gen Babar said that no evidence of any “foreign conspiracy” was found and the National Security Committee (NSC) participants were clearly told that no conspiracy was hatched against the PTI government.

"No one has the right to twist and distort the facts. The armed forces and their leadership have been the target of propaganda for some time now," he added.

Responding to former interior minister Sheikh Rashid’s claims about the NSC meeting, the military spokesperson said everyone has a right to have an opinion but “no one should spread lies”.

Maj Gen Babar said he would not comment on the ongoing meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global financial watchdog, adding that India had lobbied to have Pakistan placed on the black list.

The military spokesperson described the recent China visit of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa as “very imporatnt” in which the two countries vowed to step up cooperation on “their strategic partnership” in the challenging times.

The DG ISPR disclosed that the army chief also met with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the visit.

Pakistan-China have strategic ties which are crucial for peace in the region, he said and added that no compromise would be made on the security of CPEC projects. Security of the CPEC projects has been given to Pakistan Army, he added.