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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Army has sought additional funds from the finance ministry to raise a new security division and an additional 28 security battalions, it emerged on Sunday.
A statement released by the ministry of finance said senior officials from the army had a meeting with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar at his ministry in Islamabad, where the demand for “financing and the release of funds” was made by military officials.
The statement quoted Dar as saying that the “government attaches the highest importance to security matters” and assured the “provision of funds for the new security division and additional battalions.”
Pakistan Army is currently spearheading a war against terrorism in Pakistan's northern tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, where terrorists from militant organisations are believed to have taken refuge.
In June 2014, the army launched a comprehensive military operation – Zarb-i-Azb – against Taliban militants threatening the writ of the state by launching brazen attacks on government and military installations.
Since then, the military has claimed to kill thousands of militants in air raids in the north and through intelligence-based operations in various parts of the country.
Related: Zarb-i-Azb: Phenomenal success achieved, says ISPR
But the threat of militancy and extremism is far from from over. Despite the military offensive and stringent counter-terror measures, Taliban terrorists managed to breach the security of a university in Charsadda last month, killing 21 students and professors in an attack that bore resemblance to the brazen Dec 2014 assault on an army-run school in Peshawar that killed 144.
Read: Chemistry teacher defies Taliban in Bacha Khan University attack
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (63) Closed
Feb 07, 2016 02:21pm
already 700 billion defense budget plus,150 billion for pension and 100 billion for waziristan operation ,demanding more finances after this nothing will be left for social sector..
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Feb 07, 2016 02:34pm
Yes let's spend more on Military instead of education, children welfare, infrastructure....
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Feb 07, 2016 02:46pm
@RK this is to protect whatever you listed in your comment. If there is no security and law and order in the country, these things are meaningless. We need to enhance the capacity and professionalism of our security forces, and I think this is a very reasonable demand from our Army !
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Feb 07, 2016 02:52pm
I would like to request the army to build up the current forces. It was recently disclosed that the FC face a severe shortage of funds. When we such experienced people, improving their resources would be more beneficial as compared to this completely new division.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:13pm
@msadiq increasing number and perks of security personnel has nothing to do with securing civilians. You need to make these forces more efficient, focussed and advanced - but strictly accountable to law and civilian rule.
We already have the 6th largest army in the world! Are we the 6th safest country in the world?
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Feb 07, 2016 03:18pm
@RK, What is the use of infrastructure & schools, if we don't have secure environment. It's like keep wasting money on infrastructure and let enemies destroy it again and again. There is a reason armed forces/governments spend too much money on defense.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:19pm
Its time to put tax on the rich and increase the price of high octane petrol and tax those buying luxury cars .increase the tax rate for people earning more than 150k a month.and introduce a tax of 3 rupees on almost everything in the country and on every service being provided by any one.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:25pm
The Army has been able to improve the security situation by launching successful operations aimed at uprooting terrorism from the country.The terrorists have been hit hard and their infrastructure dismantled. Our fight against terrorism must continue with full force for which the army's hands should be strengthened.The govt. should have no second thought in providing the required funds to the army. If we have security, we can make progress in all other fields related to the country's socio-economic and political development. It can also ensure the future of our new generation.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:27pm
We already have worlds sixth largest military, with more than 600,000 soldiers. Don't need any more divisions. Increase capacity of police instead as they are the one's who reach terrorist locations first. They can deliver if properly trained, like in KP.
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Feb 07, 2016 03:29pm
also give some soldiers to kpk as there are 60000 police personnel and 68000 schools in kpk which means more schools than soldiers .
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Feb 07, 2016 04:03pm
We have a genuine need to raise two infantry divisions for FATA, Southern Balochistan, and 3rd armored division for Sindh. If our government can waste a few bil$ on junk projects than there is no place better to waste money on military that is putting a serious effort to curtail foreign sponsored terrorism. Our aging military hardware needs more than a second look.
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Feb 07, 2016 05:31pm
I m not a Pakistani national, but I think without the Pak Army Pakistan would be another Libya, Yemen, Syria, Somali or a fail African country. Pakistan exists because of only Pak Army. Truth is bitter but thats the truth. When the politicians fail than every one comes forward to fill the space, but Pak Army is stoping that EVERY ONE!
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Feb 07, 2016 05:38pm
With such an arm forces if you can not stop terrorism then I wonder if additional forces would do the job.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:01pm
What happened to NACTA??? No funds for national counter-terrorism to fight terrorists (political and militant) in Sindh. So, we continue to see the same old dreary story day-in-and-day-out. No funds to fight for Karachi but funds available for other areas. What a country? Salams
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Feb 07, 2016 06:02pm
Pakistan needs to find the gold and diamonds lots of it somewhere in Pakistan maybe hiding somewhere I think there is so much gold and diamond in Pakistan it's time we find them
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Feb 07, 2016 06:18pm
Army is doing fine jobs, they are fighting for our Peace, they have right to ask and their demand must be fulfilled. Government is doing noting to secure Education or Educational Institutes, children welfare, infrastructure only beautiful snaps that's it.
Poor security is provided by the Government. CCTV shows footage once the accident is already done. Army should provide teachers and other staff military kind of training. This is necessary. Secondly latest weapons are required to trace out activist, traveling or coming towards Educational Institute, so to shoot them down before big accident happens.
I think more and more investment is required and it is the right time to finance Army before ISIS gets stronger. Border must watch 24/7 via satellite, cameras and drones etc etc. If Army gets weak due to any problems we will lose Pakistan forever.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:24pm
I agree, we need more powerful army ,navy and air force, but we need partnership with friendly nations who can come to our aid, we need to develop close knit security partnership , civilian govt corruption is eating away our country, only strong military can save our nation, democracy has no place in Pakistan, if we are to become strong nation we need to stop corruption and only military rule can do that.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:29pm
Please increase the education budget. That is the need of the hour.
Focus on education and healthcare.
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Feb 07, 2016 06:32pm
Not.. Good
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Feb 07, 2016 06:44pm
There is no doubt that it is the education which takes a country veto new heights but without this army there will be no Pakistan.These new battalions are being raised to protect the Chinese who will be bringing prosperity to Pakistan. The amount of money which is looted by the politicians is much more than spend on the army. The security situation has improved a lot since the army has started the action.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:08pm
@Hiwad. All the comments I have read, yours is the best. It is true Pakistan has long and often controversial history of military rule but it is also a fact that every time that happened it was due to ineptitude by the politicians.
The current efforts by Pakistan Army both in going after terrorists in the north and the criminal elements in the south (Karachi) should be appreciated.
We should also note the villainous nexus played by the so called bearer of religion and our neighboring country; the same country that claims to be against them.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:26pm
security always comes first .what's use of education, money or other stuff when you are took weak .enemy will take all your money and education can barely help if your defense forces are weak and enemy attacks you .
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Feb 07, 2016 07:28pm
Despite being over stretched on eastern and western boarders as well as maintaining internal security in KP and Balochistan Army is doing a fine job.
However, with the CPEC and multiple projects of national interest coming up need for enhanced security can not be over stressed, especially after a lot of interest has been shown in CPEC by our lovely neighbors on eastern boarders.
So whatever our forces require we must give them.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:30pm
@Hiwad The nations you talked about all had armies that had highest budgets from defense spending as opposed to welfare and social initiatives. This is why they went to the dustbin of history.
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Feb 07, 2016 08:02pm
Ask our Dear Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to Tax those who are recently exempted under Tax amnesty scheme and so State can get revenue for Social Sector as well as raising additional Security Divisions
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Feb 07, 2016 08:24pm
@Imran ali
No good having money if you are dead why so painful for people like you to spend on your security then on PIA/Steel mill corruption and so on.
Get your priorities first if you want to live.
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Feb 07, 2016 08:40pm
In my opinion the armed forces asking for more money is completely justifiable given the security issues.
Hope the welfare and education ministries also table a similar budget for approval. The govt can then put priority and allocate funds accordingly, which should be dependant on deliverables.
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Feb 07, 2016 08:41pm
@msadiq
I completely agree with RK.
Lack of development in the sectors of education and healthcare and failer to provide the justice to masses are the idiol situation for terrorism to breed.
To quote great Ben Franklin "Those who give up their liberty for more security neither deserve liberty nor security."
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Feb 07, 2016 09:14pm
@Imran ali There will be No Pakistan if sufficient is not spent on national security. Spending on better securing Pakistani soil is not a waste, unlike PIA and other national institutes.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:36pm
This security division is a requirement for CPEC implementation. It is exclusively for security of Chinese workers and infrastructure projects and not for general security as depicted in this article
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Feb 07, 2016 09:48pm
priority is the border spend money to the modernise the control system on the border you need the hi tech electronic contrl system and the military canp every 50 km any one want to enter or out must to have passport and visa send out the illegal peoples out and see the difference the army need also the new and modern equipement Pakistan zindabad Pak army zindabad
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Feb 07, 2016 09:57pm
Pakistan should spend ten times more on its military! Besides these security forces are for the chinese, not pakistanis!
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Feb 07, 2016 10:20pm
@Imran ali Do the Aristotle have any other bright idea so that nothing is spent on defence and everything is given to social sector?.
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Feb 07, 2016 10:22pm
The sorry state of Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan provides ample evidence to ensure a strong defence amid these trial times. Nonetheless Social sector can`t be ignored.
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Feb 07, 2016 10:24pm
@Asad we couldn`t have been the 6th safest country in the world had we didn`t share a border with the war torn Afghanistan in the west and India in the east.
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Feb 07, 2016 10:25pm
@Asad we are not the safest country in the world because we have many apparent friends who are de stabilizing us, we have a neighbor who wants to destroy us and there are many among us who are helping our enemies for a handful of money and the pseudo thinkers think that if we cut our defence budget every problem will be solved..
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Feb 07, 2016 10:59pm
Instead of raising a new division why don't yoy spend that money in fixing criminal justice system?
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Feb 07, 2016 11:50pm
Pakistan is the front-line state against the global War on Terror. With over 60,000 Pakistanis killed no country in the world has suffered more. Therefore raising an additional security division is fully justified. As Nawaz Sharif government has budget constraints, he should seek Obama Administration assistance to fund this division, just as the US is funding raising 350,000 security forces in Afghanistan.
The US has spent over a trillion and half dollars on this war, with $900 billion spent Iraq and $600 billion on Afghanistan. Pakistan received only $20 billion, of this $12 billion was Coalition Support Funds (CSF) re-imbursement of 180,000 Pakistan Army troops deployed along the terrorist-infested Afghan-Pakistan border. The US and NATO should do more to help Pakistan fight this global war.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:51pm
Security is the very first thing that is required in any free country. Even countries that are not free have very good security for the day to day work and business. It is so sad that we have to raise a new division to fight against miscreants. The question is how did we get there that we need to spend millions and millions more. I am not trying to blame anybody but overall we all are at fault and now have to bear this burden. The seeds that we sow every day comes back at us.
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Feb 08, 2016 12:32am
Our armed forces need much more finances given the threats they are facing. I estimate we need to triple their budget. Pakistan government needs to generate much more revenues and increase FDI.
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Feb 08, 2016 01:23am
Re-assign the existing battalions. This is precious financing being taken away from higher-priority initiatives like education and infrastructure.
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Feb 08, 2016 02:13am
Double the defense budget...
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Feb 08, 2016 03:04am
If you can afford to put your life on risk then there is no need for this. It's strange that you don't talk about political corruption that is far more than defence budget and have issues with spending on securing the country.
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Feb 08, 2016 03:17am
In my just opinion the number of divisions and the number of individuals in a division should be increased to the maximum possible level because we have been surrounded from every where. Every sane Pakistani knows that we don't have any real friend in this world. Long Live Pakistan......
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Feb 08, 2016 03:47am
@Abbas naqvi The job is far from being completed. I would say it is just the beginning and hopefully it will continue for many many months months if not years and must be bedrock of our homeland security policy to continue war against terrorism both internal and external without any distinction.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:21am
Without debating and getting approval from parliament how you Mr. Ishaq Dar can assure military for the funds????
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Feb 08, 2016 05:23am
Military should ask opposition to stop making unwarranted noise so that govt., can further her focus on development & generate additional funds for all sectors.
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Feb 08, 2016 05:30am
@Awan The pak army needs to get some serious training from the Sri Lanka Army,
which got rid of the Tamil Tigers in a very short time of few months. And finished the whole operation.
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Feb 08, 2016 05:45am
Pakistan must spend more on defense. Many times over. Revenues obviously will need to be increased.
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Feb 08, 2016 05:55am
We have IMF,why worry.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:18am
@Imran ali;
Any money we save from defense budget would end up inflating our corruption budget.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:21am
@RK;
The choice is not between defense and development the choice is between defense and corruption. Our corruption budget is more than 10 times our defense budget.
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Feb 08, 2016 07:00am
We don't need expansion of military forces........instead........we need a powerful domestic counter terrorism force or agency similar to the FBI.........with a national jurisdiction.......something that can deal with domestic threats, terrorism, cyber crimes, organizational corruption, etc.........and let the Rangers go back to the borders.
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Feb 08, 2016 07:13am
Austerity measures now imperative to support defense spendings,the NS government must understand to adopt austerity measures postpone all non-development expenditures,curtail down Federal Govt and Punjab Govt expenditures,reduce the perks of CMs Governors,Ministers,only Suzuki Mehran for Ministers,Toyota Corrola for CMs Governors,PM,& President.Remember if things allowed to continue,just learn from history of Argentina, Bolivia,these countries got in trouble due to short of funds to carry on,but survived due to relatively small population,a country like Pakistan,with larger population,and hostile situations,need immediate economic quarantine,prevention is better than cure Mr Dar. Full stop to corruption,and drastic economic emergency steps are need of the hour, otherwise the unexpected defense expenditure if not fulfilled the NAP will stand still,means your government could fail,and has to go.
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Feb 08, 2016 09:00am
lessons learnt from Syria, Iraq, Libya and etc. No compromise on security and unity of state. If o security , Like mentioned states, international community will tore us a part. very unfortunate yet very true.
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Feb 08, 2016 09:36am
Pakistan should double its defense spending so that new soldiers are added, this will help in eradication of militant from Pakistan and will provide millions of jobs to new youths.
Making south Asia terrorist free and prosperous.
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Feb 08, 2016 10:01am
We must define security first, whether we need, human security or national security, for national security I think we are already spending more than our capacity. We need human security, (protection from diseases and ingnorance). In a country where thousand of children die every due to mal-nutrition, diseases and deprived of basic education, spending more on divisions will be a foolish idea, we must come out of it. Second we must rationalise what we are spending now on security. We need to make complete accountabillity of every penny we are blindly spending in the name of security. This is our homeland we need to protect its citizen from all sorts of security threats.
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Feb 08, 2016 10:40am
@ Imran Ali: couldn't agree more..I share the same thoughts
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Feb 08, 2016 11:14am
Without a second thought, if the PAK army wants funds for training, personnel's, equipment, etc, there should be no delay from the govt in release of funds.
Even these so-called politicians know that without the PAK army and rangers, the politicians would not survive a day in PAK. Prime example is Zardari, who during his 5 years of presidency, spent most of his time in the UK and Dubai
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Feb 08, 2016 06:01pm
Pakistan can augment funds by charging China for protecting Chinese investments under CPEC.
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Feb 10, 2016 11:32am
@saad Are out of your mind we are already paying some of the highest price for petroleum products. It just fuel the luxury cars of the rich, it also fuels the millions of motor bikes, chingchees, transport for the poor and the common man.
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Feb 10, 2016 11:37am
@Khan Like hell they do. Most of the external threats aren't real they are manufactured. All of the money we spent on acquiring various weapon systems and the bomb was supposed to give credible deterrence capability and thus cut back on conventional forces, that never happened. Fix the law and order situation with a police that is not corrupt.
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Feb 10, 2016 11:40am
@Saqib What an illusion that Chinese investment will bring prosperity to Pakistan. Only Pakistanis can bring prosperity to Pakistan. Rule of law, end to lawlessness and corruption, education and health care, poverty eradication , good governance will bring prosperity not expansion of Army and foreign investment.
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