PM Imran appreciates Pakistan Military for voluntarily cutting defence budget

PM said that this saved amount will be used on development of merged tribal areas and Balochistan.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday appreciated Pakistan military’s unprecedented voluntary initiative of stringent cuts in their defence expenditures for next fiscal year because of country’s critical financial situation.

PM lauded armed forces initiative despite the fact that country is facing multiple security challenges.

I appreciate Pak Mil s unprecedented voluntary initiative of stringent cuts in their defence expenditures for next FY bec of our critical financial situation, despite multiple security challenges. My govt will spend this money saved on dev of merged tribal areas & Balochistan.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 4, 2019

Prime Minister further said that the government will spend this money saved on development of merged tribal areas (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) and Balochistan.

Meanwhile, Directory General (DG) Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor stated in a later tweet that voluntary cuts in the defence budget for next fiscal year would not be at the cost of defence and security.

DG ISPR said that voluntary cutting in def budget for a year will not be at the cost of defence and security. We shall maintain effective response potential to all threats faced by the country.

Voluntary cut in def budget for a year will not be at the cost of def & security. We shall maint effective response potential to all threats.Three services will manage impact of the cut through appropriate internal measures. It was imp to participate in dev of tribal areas & Bln.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) June 4, 2019

He further said that the three services will manage impact of the cut through appropriate internal measures. He said that it was important to participate in development of tribal areas and Balochistan.