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Pakistan to increase military budget by 11%

Iran Press TV

Sat Jun 6, 2015 5:55AM

Pakistan is to hike its military spending by 11 percent to meet the nation's security needs as Islamabad says it is battling insurgency.

The country would take its military budget from 700 billion rupees (USD 7 billion) to 780 billion rupees (USD 7.8 billion) for the fiscal year 2015-16, Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament in his annual budget address on Friday.

'Keeping in view the security situation and security forces' needs, we have increased the defense budget from 700 billion rupees to 780 billion rupees, which is an increase of 11 per cent,' Dar added.

Pakistan's tribal regions, bordering with Afghanistan, have been a safe haven for militant groups, including al-Qaeda and the pro-Taliban militants, over the past years.

Pakistan started an operation against militant hideouts in North Waziristan tribal region last June after a deadly attack on the Karachi International Airport ended the government's faltering peace talks with the pro-Taliban militants.

The Pakistan military claims it has killed more than 1,200 militants since launching the June 15, 2014 operation against the militant groups.

The Finance Minister also announced 100 billion rupees (USD 1 billion) to be allocated for the rehabilitation of thousands of families who have been forced from their homes by the insurgency especially, in the northwestern regions.

The insurgency in Pakistan has killed more than 50,000 people and made thousands of others homeless in recent years.

Arms race with India

Pakistan's military budget increases every year because of its historically uneasy relations with India, which earlier this year also boosted its annual military spending by 11%. The countries have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947.

Islamabad has recently accused the Indian intelligence apparatus of "whipping up terrorism" in Pakistan, blaming India for fomenting unrest in the country.

Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier said that New Delhi would use terrorism to counter terrorism from other countries.

MRA/NN/HRB