ISLAMABAD - The Senate Defence Committee has raised its voice for making the defense budget more transparent and declared that parliamentary supervision of the defence spending is must to ensure good governance and transparency.
The committee gave this observation during its meeting held here on Tuesday, under the chair of Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman Senate Defence Committee.
According to the statement, the Committee paid glowing tributes to the sacrifices of Armed Forces in the Operation Zarb-e-Azb and said that their resolve is undeterred in rooting out the menace of terrorism. The Chairman and members of the Committee warmly welcomed the new Secretary Defence, Lt. Gen (r) Alam Khattak, and praised his professionalism.
Mushahid stated that the committee introduced innovative approaches and new traditions to revisit the defence paradigm through dialogues, discussions and public hearings involving all the stakeholders. He said that the public hearings initiated by the Committee have received wide acknowledgment.
Members of the Committee termed it a good beginning as the figures of the defence budget were being shared with the committee. The Chairman and members of the Senate Defence Committee expressed satisfaction over the ‘frank and honest’ briefing by the Ministry of Defence and praised the professionalism of the senior officers present led by Secretary Defence, and others including Additional Secretary Defence.
Senator Mushahid expressed the hope that the committee would proactively engage in the discourse which would help in formulate recommendations on new lines. He observed that national security is of paramount significance and unanimity of opinion exists among all sheds of thought in this regards.
He said that there are multiple power centers in the country now and dimensions of the national security have broadened.
Mushahid observed that parliament has to lead with ideas, issues and initiatives and in this regard play a proactive role in institutional building.
Earlier, the Secretary Defence gave a detailed presentation on the defence budget besides clarifying the misperceptions about the defence spending.
Senators Shujaat Hussain, Farhatullah Babar, Sehar Kamran, Raja Zafar-ul-haq, Haji Adeel, Rafique Rajwana, Dr. Abudl Qayoom Soomro, Abdul Rauf and Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi and Secretary Committee Maj.(r) Husnain Haider attended the committee meeting.