General Kayani said parliament to decide restoration of NATO supply and relations with US,says defence budget is 18pc & not 70pc

JACOBABAD, RAWALPINDI, (SANA): Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said that the decisions regarding restoration of NATO supply and Pak-US relations will be made by the Parliament and parliamentary committee on national security, adding that defence budget of the country is 18 percent and not 70 percent, adding that wrong facts are presented in talk shows regarding defence budget.
According to a statement issued by ISPR, Gen Kayani said that even out of that paltry 18 percent only 8-9 percent of funds trickled down to the sentinels of the country, which was a matter of serious concern.
He said that the defence budget has been decreased due to increase of dollar price and soaring prices of commodities, adding that the 1.5 billion dollars of coalition support fund also has not been received by army, adding that instead of the ongoing war against terrorism the defence budget is decreasing.
Army Chief said that this is wrong impression that Pakistani fighter jets are unable to hit the NATO aircrafts.
General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani said that Parliament would decide weather Nato supply route should restore or not, adding that Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani’s statement regarding Nato supply was very clear.
The Army chief appreciated the role of Pakistan Air Force during operation in tribal areas, adding that F-16 jets would be seldom used in war on terror.
Meanwhile talking to media persons at Shahbaz airbase in Jacobabad Gen Kayani said that decisions regarding the restoration of NATO’s supply and Pak-US relations will be made by the Parliament.
Meanwhile Air Chief Rao Qamar Suleman said Shahbaz Airbase is in complete control of Pakistan’s Air Force, adding that the armed forces of the country are fully capable to give befitting reply of any aggression.
He said that there is nothing in F-16 fighter jets which could stop hitting US planes, adding that there is no danger to the defence of the country.He said that the drones are being prepared in Pakistan but these are not enjoying the facility of firing missiles, adding that Pakistani air force is fully prepared to reply the Indian war plan.
He said that F-16 fighter jets were received from the US were fully equipped with modern weapons. The new F-16 fighter planes would help strengthening the potential of Air Force.