Pakistan Defense Budget: Even though Pakistan is burdened with debt, it is not lagging behind in purchasing arms. Pakistan does not have money to run the government, PM Shahbaz Sharif is somehow trying to sail through Pakistan with the help of international currency, but these days Pakistan’s armed forces are busy in purchasing weapons. This purchase includes fighter aircraft, warships, submarines, missile technology and drones. China and Turkey are selling the most arms to Pakistan. On the other hand, America has upgraded its F-16 aircraft given to Pakistan, while India also opposed it.
Under the agreement signed between Pakistan and China in 2015, China’s China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company Limited is building submarines for Pakistan. Recently, the first submarine of Hangor class was launched by organizing an event in Wuhan city of China, in which high officials of China and Pakistan participated. Under this agreement, China will build eight submarines of Hangor class for Pakistan, out of which four submarines are to be built in China and four in Pakistan.
China is giving most weapons to Pakistan
According to a report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) published in the year 2023, 82 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports between 2019 and 2023 were from China, whereas it was 69 percent from 2014 to 2018. During the years 2019 and 2023, China mainly sold arms to 40 countries. More than half of these exports, about 61 percent, were sent to Pakistan only. On the other hand, on strategic cooperation between China and Pakistan, South China Morning Post said that since Jinping’s visit to Pakistan in 2015, both the countries have been evergreen strategic cooperative partners.
Pakistan buried under foreign debt
Meanwhile, the big question being raised is that how is Pakistan purchasing arms despite the foreign debt of 124.5 billion dollars, whereas the amount of 124.5 billion dollars is 42 percent of Pakistan’s GDP. The question is arising that how will Pakistan pay for the project of eight submarines worth Rs 4-5 billion? Despite the huge reduction in foreign exchange reserves, Pakistan’s Finance Minister has allocated Rs 1804 billion for the defense budget, this amount is 15.4 percent more than last year.
Pakistan Army has a wealth generating system
On increasing the defense budget amidst severe economic crisis, experts believe that the real power of Pakistan lies with the Pakistan Army. On the other hand, the army has a huge system of generating wealth, because the army has legal and illegal factories. Many business centers are owned by the Pakistan Army and all the money goes to the army treasury. In such a situation, the government is not able to cut Pakistan’s defense budget. Experts also believe that Pakistan always buys arms from foreign countries keeping India in mind.
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