Pakistan hikes defence spending 15 percent to Rs.347 bn

October 13th, 2009 BEIJING - China and Pakistan Tuesday pledged to boost cooperation in trade and defence sectors, the Online news agency reported Tuesday. Visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani held discussion with Chinese President Hu Jintao in this regard, the report said.

October 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Defence Minister AK Antony today said that the Armed Forces must get all their pay arrears relating to the Sixth Central Pay Commission well in time before Diwali. Addressing the Defence Accounts Day function here today, Antony commended the officials of the Controller General of Defence Accounts for adopting computerisation and speeding-up the salary computation systems.

September 19th, 2009 ABOHAR - Radio Pakistan in its recent Punjabi Darbar programme has suggested that India should spend less on defence and more on education and health. Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Human Resources Minister Kapil Sibal should thank the Punjabi Darbar programme of Radio Pakistan for its support to their causes.

August 30th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has rejected reports about purchase of submarines from France. Briefing Senate's Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, Defence Production Secretary, Israr Ghumman said an evaluation committee formed by the Naval Headquarters has recommended purchase of German submarines.

August 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's arms imports are expected to touch $30 billion by 2012 even as the domestic defence market is poised to grow to $700 million in five years, according to an industry lobby report. The report submitted to the defence ministry by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) said: "India's arms imports alone would rise to $30 billion by 2012." "The Defence Offset Facilitation Agency (DOFA) and the armed forces in consultation with India Inc should work out a comprehensive strategy to ensure that defence imports happen at extremely competitive rates," Assocham president Sajjan Jindal said.

June 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's parliament Thursday passed a Rs.2.9 trillion ($36 billion) budget for fiscal 2009-10 focusing on sustainable development, revival of industry and providing relief to the vulnerable and the millions of refugees uprooted by the anti-Taliban offensive in the northwest. The budget, which was presented June 13 by Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar, will be effective July 1.

June 19th, 2009 BERLIN - Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and his German counterpart Gen Schneidrhan have pledged to boost defence cooperation and enhance strategic partnership, the Online news agency said Friday. During a meeting here, the two officials discussed the ongoing war on terrorism and the regional situation, among other issues, it said.

June 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani government Saturday presented a Rs.2.482 trillion ($30.7 billion) defecit budget for fiscal 2009-10 that focuses on sustainable development, revival of industry and providing relief to the vulnerable and the millions of refugees who have been uprooted by the military's anti-Taliban offensive in the country's restive northwest. Presenting the budget in the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar said it aimed at stabilization with a human face and growth with equity.

June 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has no intensions to curtail its India-specific defence budget, military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas has said. Major General Abbas rejected some international appeals that suggested that Pakistan should cut down its India specific defence expenditures, and focus more on the 'war on terror'.

June 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pointing to the acquisition of modern weapons and systems by its eastern neighbour, Pakistan says it is unable to change its India-specific pattern of defence spending. If you are suggesting that we should take something out of here and put it in another box that would not be a wise strategy.

June 1st, 2009 LAHORE - Nuclear bombs do not win wars nor do they strengthen any country economically, Pakistani defence analyst Dr Farrukh Saleem has said. The Daily Times quoted Dr Saleem as saying that the atomic bomb has not served the purpose of deterrence for any country.

June 1st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Government has decided to increase the defence budget by 15.5 percent for the upcoming financial year to 342 billion rupees. According to sources, the operational expenses of the Pakistani Army has increased manifold due to the ongoing war against the Taliban.

May 31st, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan expects the military offensive against Taliban militants in the Swat valley to end within two or three days, Islamabad's Defence Secretary Syed Athar Ali said Sunday. "Only five to 10 percent of the job is remaining and hopefully within two to three days the pockets of resistance will be cleared," Ali said at a regional defence conference in Singapore, the Dawn newspaper reported.

January 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Continuing its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, India Friday welcomed the US remarks saying Pakistan in the 'epicentre of terrorism' and called upon the world to take action against terror from Pakistani soil. Defence minister A.K.

January 18th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Sri Lanka will enhance defence cooperation, including military training and intelligence sharing, officials said after a meeting of the representatives of the two countries Monday. The defence secretaries of the two countries discussed various cooperations during a meeting at the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the official Associated Press of Pakistan said.