News
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Govt should explain defence budget hike: Sherry
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Former information minister Sherry Rehman on Friday asked the government to state its position on the reported increase of Rs 110 billion in the defence budget.
Talking on a point of order in the National Assembly, she sought details of increase in the defence budget, saying that parliament had not been taken into confidence on the increase. It must be mentioned here that the revised projection of the federal budget for the year 2010-11 that was submitted to the International Monetary Fund Executive Board showed defence allocation at Rs 552 billion as against earlier approval of Rs 442 billion. That means an increase of Rs 110 billion.
Sherry further said that NATO incursions into Pakistan were indicative of the fact that both Pakistan and US had failed in the war on terror being fought in Afghanistan. Responding to her concerns on the increase in defence appropriation, Law Minister Babar Awan said that parliament had oversight over the budget, and assured the House that details pertaining to the increase would be shared with it.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk