Pakistan Must Extend Olive Branch to India, Not the Gun. Its Defence Budget Allows Only that

In keeping with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s austerity drive, Pakistan’s defence budget this year, announced Tuesday, is exactly the same as last year – Rs 1.15 trillion or US$ 7.6 billion. But the alarming slide in the rupee to dollar rate and the current inflation rate of 9.41 per cent mean there will be less foreign exchange for imported equipment and less money for domestic expenditure. Will this net decrease impact the defence preparedness of Pakistan? Will the ongoing economic crisis push Pakistan to review its aggressive national security strategy?Read More…