PML-Nawaz demands cut in defence budget

[Nasir]

PML-Nawaz demands cut in defence budget

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Sunday demanded a reduction in defence allocations in the upcoming federal budget and the setting up of a National Uplift Fund.

PML-N leader Mohammad Siddiqul Farooq said the expected Rs 25 billion increase in defence allocations was “utterly unnecessary”. “Military generals have a habit of building golf courses, General Headquarters (GHQ), purchasing expensive cars and giving kickbacks in various defence deals,” he said. The federal government increased the defence budget by Rs 20 billion last year, he added. “Instead of giving an additional Rs 25 billion to the armed forces, the government must withdraw the Rs 20 billion increase was made in the last budget.” Generals’ defence policies have repeatedly failed, said the PML-N leader, citing the secession of Bangladesh, the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, Kargil and the operation in Waziristan. He said the parliament must debate and approve defence allocations.

“There was no need to build a new GHQ in Islamabad with billions of rupees. Instead, the same amount should be given to the uplift fund,” he said. The wealth tax must be re-imposed, he added. “The wealth tax has been waived at the behest of senior PML politicians because they are all billionaires.” Farooq said the country’s trade deficit was $1.6 billion in 1999, and had reached $11.5 billion in 2006. He said the government reduced the National Saving Scheme’s interest rate from 14 percent to 8 percent. staff report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\05\22\story_22-5-2006_pg7_16

 

[EagleEyes]

If Pakistan wants to have its armed forces strong and modern it must eliminate the above crap. If one Pakistani General buys a car, with the same price Army can get an Al-Khalid tank.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

This is our countries greatest tragedy.

Army gets around 70% of GDP while politicians get 30% to run the country.

Out of this 30% BB and other politicians have built empires and will be answerable for that one day or another. They have cases pending against them in courts which they cannot avoid.

What about the remaining 70%.....................? Is all of this used for army..............has any general ever been asked about those funds.

 

[Bull]

This is our countries greatest tragedy.

Army gets around 70% of GDP while politicians get 30% to run the country.

Out of this 30% BB and other politicians have built empires and will be answerable for that one day or another. They have cases pending against them in courts which they cannot avoid.

What about the remaining 70%.....................? Is all of this used for army..............has any general ever been asked about those funds.

I hope nobody calls u a indian out here!!! :wink:


Well a good and strong checks are a must to make sure that the tax money is spend well.

 

[Reichmarshal]

This is our countries greatest tragedy.

Army gets around 70% of GDP while politicians get 30% to run the country.

Out of this 30% BB and other politicians have built empires and will be answerable for that one day or another. They have cases pending against them in courts which they cannot avoid.

What about the remaining 70%.....................? Is all of this used for army..............has any general ever been asked about those funds.

These are the wirdest and dumbest figures that i have ever read. If it were 70% of our GDP than our defence bugdget would be in 100s of billions of $.

Tell u wt ur funny

PML-N is trying to get some political milage by exajurating and lieing and u are falling for that.

N where did u get those figures ur quoting in fact splashing all over 70% of the gdp, if that were to ever happen Pak will be inruins in no time. Thats plain dumb.

Last year defence got 5.5% of our GDP and ur tellin me that this year its gone up to 70%. man ur funny

Now so that u dont accuse me of being a **** nationalist here i got u these figure from a bindian source http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/jul/09spec1.htm


Wt is more surprising some of the members of this forum baught it as well.



One small suggestion if you really want this forum to be respected and noteworthy than you should delete such topics or soon it will be crawling with indian who will not rest till this forum goes down the drain.

 

[EagleEyes]

I dont see anything wrong with the topic, and i do not agree with the Lahoris post. There is a corruption in every defence market, government, and patriotically denying it will not help anybody. Only giving attention to such news would help and it will probably decrease such things once more and more of the public are aware of it.

OFF TOPIC:

Field Marhshall i sent you an email regarding changing your display name, but you haven't replied yet. Please open your PM system in the USER CP and via PM tell me your user name you want your username to change to since we have a member already with the same name.

Cheers.

 

[Reichmarshal]

I dont see anything wrong with the topic, and i do not agree with the Lahoris post. There is a corruption in every defence market, government, and patriotically denying it will not help anybody. Only giving attention to such news would help and it will probably decrease such things once more and more of the public are aware of it.

OFF TOPIC:

Field Marhshall i sent you an email regarding changing your display name, but you haven't replied yet. Please open your PM system in the USER CP and via PM tell me your user name you want your username to change to since we have a member already with the same name.

Cheers.

Well u being the mod n all u should,
if not than i just read in one of the urdu dailies that some one caught a 100 foot long croc in jhelum, so should i post that bit as well so we can start an other thread.

I think the criteria for a topic should be quality, so that the discussion is qualitative as well.
these bindian are dime a million and have no life, they live and breath such nonsence just like their movies.

Now like i said due to the low quality of the article posted the subsuquent discussion in the paricular thread degenerated to where we are now.

No pun or ill will intended towards any Pakistani member of the board>
peace

 

[sigatoka]

Last year defence got 5.5% of our GDP and ur tellin me

figure from a bindian source

There is corruption in military expenditure in every nation in the world, I dont believe the corruption in Pakistani miltiary is any higher than many others and it is definitely less than in India.

Regardless of corruption of which i believe is not too large in Pak military, I still strongly believe the size of the defence budget is too large and unbalanced. 5.5% of GDP is too large and slows GDP growth of the nation. It takes resources away from Hospitals, education and infrastrucutre.

I also think it is unnecessary to cut the level of expenditure, rather the level should be capped allowing for inflation for the next five years. Since GDP growth is so robust, within five years the expenditure as a proportion of GDP will come down to 4% which is much more sustainable.


Since the breakup of the soviet Union, Russia has cut dramatically its military budget. Since it still wants parity with U.S. the only remaining superpower, it is spending 50% of its defence on Nuclear deterrent.

The situation of Pakistan is similar, it faces a much larger nation economically in India and therefore it too should be spending around 50% of its military budget on Nuclear weapons.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

I hope nobody calls u a indian out here!!! :wink:


Well a good and strong checks are a must to make sure that the tax money is spend well.

Ahh you are right. I have been labeled as an Indian in PDF and had a tough time on WAB to prove in not an Indian.

As a Pakistani i have the right to oppose things i dont like. Thats my right. And everyone cannot like Army ................ atleast i dont

 

[Neo]

Ahh you are right. I have been labeled as an Indian in PDF and had a tough time on WAB to prove in not an Indian.

As a Pakistani i have the right to oppose things i dont like. Thats my right. And everyone cannot like Army ................ atleast i dont

You're fully entitled to have and share your opinion Paa Jee.
We can take critic here! :wink:

I'm not found of the military either, but considering the progress Pakistan's made since Mushy took power, I can only say the the glass is half empty.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

You're fully entitled to have and share your opinion Paa Jee.
We can take critic here! :wink:

I'm not found of the military either, but considering the progress Pakistan's made since Mushy took power, I can only say the the glass is half empty.

Thanks Neo.

With you incharge i would have no problem here.

As for ur post it would be much better if we consider pre and post 9/11 situation of Pakistan under Mushy.

 

[Nasir]

Pakistan defence budget under scrutiny

The first-ever parliamentary scrutiny of Pakistan's defence budget is to begin June 1.

But while discussing "certain aspects" of the allocations for 2006-07, those of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) may be kept out.

The Senate Committee on Defence and Defence Production will hear Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Defence Secretary Lt Gen Wasim Ghani and top generals of the Army General Headquarters (GHQ).

The press would be barred from the in-camera exercise. They have been asked to appear before the committee and brief the members ahead of the budget presentation, the Daily Times said.

The defence budget in Pakistan has never been discussed. Its mention in the budget itself is a one-liner, a convention that was set during the ZA Bhutto era when the country was recovering from the shock of a military defeat at the hands of India and the emergence of Bangladesh.

But the one-line mention doesn't go with the concept of transparency being advocated by President Pervez Musharraf.

The committee's top agenda is to discuss how the Pakistan Army formulates the defence budget and who monitors its spending.

While the ISI gets its funds under the defence ministry, the allocation for it may not be part of the scrutiny.

Ali Orakzai, the former defence production secretary, was supposed to appear before the committee but since he was elevated as the North West Frontier Province governor earlier this week, another official might represent the Defence Production division, the newspaper said.

Although the proceedings of all parliamentary committees are open to journalists they are barred from the proceedings of the defence body committee.

Senator Nisar Ahmed Memon will chair the meeting. The other members are Jan Mohammad Jamali, Syed Mushahid Hussain, Kamil Ali Agha, Waqar Ahmed Khan, Syed Dilawar [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Abbas[/FONT], Naeed Hussain Chattha, Khursheed Ahmed, Asif Jatoi, Sardar Mehtab [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ahmed [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Khan[/FONT] Abbasi, Ms Rukhsana Zuberi and Kamran Murtaza.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1707082,000500020000.htm

 

[Nasir]

Senate body will discuss army budget

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of Senate body on Defence and Defence Production has been called on June 1 for the first time in country’s history to discuss certain aspects of the defence budget for 2006-2007. Rao Sikandar Iqbal, the defence minister, Lt General (r) Wasim Ghazi, the defence secretary, and top generals of the GHQ have been asked to appear before the committee and brief members ahead of the budget presentation in the lower house of the parliament. It is not certain whether the budgets of the intelligence agencies particularly the Inter Services Intelligence and the Military Intelligence, who get their shares from the defence budget, would also be discussed in the meeting. The committee’s top agenda is to discuss how the Pakistan Army formulates the defence budget and who monitors its spending. Governor Lt General (r) Ali Orakzai, the former defence production secretary, was supposed to appear before the committee but now after his elevation as the NWFP governor, someone else might represent the Defence Production division. Although the proceedings of all parliamentary committees are open to journalists but they are barred from the proceedings of defence body committee. So far the defence budget has only been presented just in one line in the National Assembly but now it is finally being shared with the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan. Senator Nisar Ahmed Memon will chair the meeting and rest of the members are Jan Mohammad Jamali, Syed Mushahid Hussain, Kamil Ali Agha, Waqar Ahmed Khan, Syed Dilawar Abbas, Naeed Hussain Chattha, Prof Khursheed Ahmed, Asif Jatoi, Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Rukhsana Zuberi and Kamran Murtaza. maryam hussain

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\05\27\story_27-5-2006_pg7_10

 

[sigatoka]

This is our countries greatest tragedy.

Army gets around 70% of GDP while politicians get 30% to run the country.

Out of this 30% BB and other politicians have built empires and will be answerable for that one day or another. They have cases pending against them in courts which they cannot avoid.

What about the remaining 70%.....................? Is all of this used for army..............has any general ever been asked about those funds.

Your problem Lahori paa jee is that you have no idea what you are talking about, it is possible to be against the level of military spending without appearing like a fool as you do with your figures. You have absolutely no idea about the figures you use and therefore the conclusions you reach are equally as suspect.

Pakistan is a low taxing nation and therefore even though Pakistan spends the most on Military in its budget, it is not outrageously as large as you suggest.

 

[Lahori paa jee]

Your problem Lahori paa jee is that you have no idea what you are talking about, it is possible to be against the level of military spending without appearing like a fool as you do with your figures. You have absolutely no idea about the figures you use and therefore the conclusions you reach are equally as suspect.

Pakistan is a low taxing nation and therefore even though Pakistan spends the most on Military in its budget, it is not outrageously as large as you suggest.

Ok that is exaggerated but one cannot deny that a huge chunk is being wasted on Army and ISI