Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Defence Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Thursday said that under ongoing economic crisis, the armed forces of Pakistan stood with the nation, and expressed resolve to tackle the challenges and inflation by remaining operationally efficient within the limited available resources. The chairman while presiding over an in-camera meeting of the Committee held here said, “We are together in our determination to conserve resources and take austerity measures for ensuring rational utilization of public funds.” The committee reviewed in detail the Public Sector Development Programme (PDSP) proposed by the Ministry for the year 2023-2024. The committee was briefed in detail on the status of various projects under PSDP, to include costing, duration, throw forward and projected demand. The committee after threadbare discussion approved the budgetary proposals for PSDP, 2023-24, a news release said. While taking briefing on the efforts by the Armed Forces (all three Service) to promote austerity and cost-cutting in unnecessary expenditure, especially savings in foreign exchange, under the ongoing economic crunch, the Committee lauded efforts of armed forces in rationalizing the expenditure without comprising on their operational needs and capabilities. The committee was briefed that sincere efforts were underway to cut all unnecessary expenses under the Austerity Plan. We are fully equipped and capable to respond in befitting manner under all difficult situations the authorities re-iterated. The meeting was attended by Senators Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar, Umer Farooq, Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Engr. Rukhsana Zuberi and Lt. Gen (Retd) Hamood Uz Zaman Khan, HI(M), Secretary Ministry of Defence alongwith other senior officers of the attached departments.