Pakistan increases defence budget ove militants

Pakistan has announced an 11 percent increase in its defense budget for 2016, allocating $7.64 billion to help fund its ongoing war against insurgents in the northern region, Fox News reported.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar told the parliament on Friday that the country's defense budget has been increased from 700 billion to 780 billion rupees — or $7.64 billion.

He said the increase is meant for security and military needs.

Pakistan has been fighting Islamic militants for more than a decade, with major troop deployments in tribal regions near Afghanistan's border.

Dar says the country will receive 154 billion rupees, or $1.509 billion, in defense services in 2016 — payment from the United States' coalition support fund for coalition forces in Afghanistan who are using Pakistani territory for logistic support.