Pakistan spent Rs 297bn on ‘war on terror’ in last 10 years

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has spent at least Rs 297 billion in the war against terrorism in the last decade, Finance Minister Rana Afzal informed the Senate on Wednesday.

Senator Tanvir Khan of the  PML-N informed the Upper House about ‘war on terror’ cost in his written reply to a query. He said United States (US) had agreed to provide Pakistan $132 million for counter-terror efforts, of which $111m has been received.

Rs152.925bn was released during Operation Zarb-i-Azb to military institutions, whereas over Rs67bn was granted to law enforcement agencies and more than Rs31bn to bodies falling under the Defence Ministry, he added.

Out of Rs152.9 billion armed forces allocations, Pakistan Air Force was given Rs12 billion, the Pakistan Navy Rs15 billion and Pakistan Army Rs125.9 billion.

Alongside despatchment of funds to the armed forces, Rs45.25 billion worth of funds were provided to the Ministry of Safron and Fata Secretariat to facilitate return and rehabilitation of the temporarily displaced persons and providing them housing subsidy.

Similarly, Rs67.6 billion was given to the Pakistan Rangers, the Frontier Corps, the Frontier Constabulary, the Pakistan Coast Guards and the Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts to enable them to meet expenditures on equipment procurement.

Another Rs1.2 billion was spent by the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) to protect its buildings across the country under this head.

The finance minister further informed that the government also took steps to stop the smuggling of foreign currency, and has restricted travellers going abroad from carrying more than $10,000 at a time.