Increase in Defense Budget

Yesterday federal budget for the year 2006-2007 was presented. It came out to be
nothing but a game of words. The important thing was the significant increase in Defense
budget. It has been a major trend in all the last 6 budgets since General Musharraf
captured the government by force and military rule started. A comparison between the
defense budgets of last six year with the defense budget that civil government presented
in 1999 is presented here.

Budget Year Amount Fixed for Defense Budget

1999-2000 118 Billion Rupees (This was the defense budget given by
Government before General Musharraf
came to power.)

2000.2001 130 Billion Rupees (First Budget of Gen. Musharraf’s gov)

2001.2002 150 Billion Rupees

2002.2003 178 Billion Rupees

2003.2004 204 Billion Rupees

2004.2005 210 Billion Rupees

2005.2006 223 Billion Rupees

2006.2007 250 Billion Rupees (This year’s Defense Budget)

Just note the constant increase in the defense budget since the black era of
General Musharraf’s rule started. An important point here is that recently a law has been
changed that pensions of retired Army employees will be given from the civil budget.
These pensions were given previously from the defense budget. Defense budget has been
increased more than double since General Musharraf came to power. Also it is a common
trend that army demands even more money that is fixed in the defense budget. For
example in the 2005-2006 budget 223 Billion Rupees were fixed for defense budget but
additional 40 billion rupees were demanded that were given from the development
budget. So, we can expect this during this year also.
The question is why so much increase in defense budget has been made during
last few years. Just note the significant increase in defense budget from the year 2002 and
so on when the so called war against terrorism started. It means that to fight the war of
Americans we are wasting our precious resources in wrong direction. General
Musharraf’s government is spending this huge amount on the never ending and non-
sensical war against terrorism.
ISI and its use of Funds:
Also an important fact is that the funds given to ISI (Army’s Intelligence Agency)
are non-auditable which means that no one can dare ask that where the huge funds given
to ISI are spended. We all know how ISI is used in the internal politics of Pakistan. The
emergence of Jamaat-e-Islaami amd MQM are a direct consequence of this bad
maneuvering of politics by the generals of ISI. Make no mistake I am not at all against
my beloved army and its brave soldiers but these wrong policies and useless wastage of
money makes me angry. ISI is basically an intelligence agency for safe guarding Pakistan
from external threats but here the reverse is being done. We want ISI to function properly
and safe guard Pakistan from external threats but we don’t want that they start
implementing their policies within the country. It is the sole right of people to determine
the policy of their country through the ballot box.
Who knows additional money may be demanded this year also by the Army in
access to this massive 250 Billion Rupees defense budget.

No Details of Defense Budget:

Another important point is that no details of Defense budget are disclosed which
means that it is just told in one line. Isn’t it the right of people of Pakistan to know that
how this massive amount will be spended. It surely is but nothing is brought in front of
the public in Pakistan. At least some detail must be provided.

Where is this Budget directed?

At present no war is in sight with India and General Musharraf issues a new
statement regarding the peace process with India at the cost of Kashmir issue. This man
has totally made the position of Pakistan on Kashmir issue weak. So with this temporary
peace with India all this defense budget is being spended on Afghan war and on Army
general’s expenditures. They are misusing this money of people of Pakistan for the sake
of their pleasure. Our whole army is not bad but this top leadership of Army must be
questioned particularly the man on top i-e General Musharraf.

Conclusion:
In the end I will like to conclude this whole issue by summarizing all that is
written above. One thing is sure that the defense budget is not fully being used in fair
means. It is being wasted in so called war against terrorism and the extra expenditures of
Army generals. This should be stopped and this increasing graph of defense budget must
be questioned. No one can claim that the buying of defense equipment is done by fair
means; the recent issue of Admiral Mansurul Haq’s defence agreement with France is an
example of this where millions of dollars were wasted. Why are we not spending on
education so that we can make our nation educated and civilized which can take the
country forward.

****** Just think over it and share your ideas. ******

Afnan.