ISLAMABAD: The government has approved an additional Rs60 billion to support Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, aimed at strengthening security forces combating militancy in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Of this amount, Rs20 billion will be released immediately, according to an official announcement made on Thursday.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, sanctioned the release of Rs20 billion as a special allocation for the ongoing fiscal year 2024-25. A Ministry of Finance official stated that the remaining Rs40 billion would be disbursed in the second half of the fiscal year, intended for the procurement of advanced military equipment necessary to bolster the security forces’ capabilities.
The ECC was informed that the military had requested these additional funds following a decision by the Federal Apex Committee in June 2024 to launch the new military operation. The Rs60 billion allocation is supplementary to the regular military budget and will be provided through an additional grant.
Pakistan is currently navigating a challenging security landscape, with its forces actively engaged in counterterrorism operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The need for enhanced military hardware has become increasingly urgent as militants have gained access to advanced technology and weaponry left behind by the withdrawing US forces. To address this threat, the government has promptly allocated Rs20 billion to enhance the military’s operational capacity, with the remaining Rs40 billion to be released as required.
In addition to approving funds for the military operation, the ECC also authorized the export of an additional 100,000 metric tons of sugar, raising the total export quantity to 250,000 metric tons. This decision, made under the oversight of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, delinks sugar exports from the requirement to maintain local prices at Rs140 per kilogram, potentially allowing sugar millers to profit from both export proceeds and increased local market prices.
