ISLAMABAD - The defence budget to the tune of Rs495.215 announced in the federal budget 2011-2012 is likely to be revised upward, largely because of the pressing security needs in view of existing insurgency in Fata and other parts of Khyber-Pakhtukhwa. Well-placed sources told this scribe on Sunday that Pakistans defence spending, which now stands at more than one billion dollars a year, is set to increase gradually as long as government continues fighting terrorism. They were of the view that Pakistan is facing very extensive insurgency and largely depends on conditions in Afghanistan, therefore, there are less chances of its coming to end until and unless Pakistan and Afghanistan launch joint counter efforts to curb it. According to conservative estimates, there has been a gradual increase of at least Rs50 billion a year in the defence spending ever since Pakistan joined the US-led international efforts to counter terrorism in the region. Pakistan during the last ten years has sacrificed more than 35,000 lives in the US-led war on terror, besides losing at least $100 billion worth of private and public property, installations, business and investment. A cursory analysis of the defence outlay suggests that Pakistan is spending Rs1.35 billion in meeting needs of the armed forces a day that, many believe, would continue increasing as long as the war continues. Pakistan had to deploy more than 90,000 troops to man the rugged western border since 2001-2002 to tackle terrorism challenges, which still seems a relentless phenomenon now with clear change in its pattern as insurgents were now using Afghan soil to destabilise Pakistan. While citing the recent terrorist attack in Upper Dir from Afghanistan, sources opined that it clearly shows that insurgents, both Afghan and Pakistani, are operating out from across the border to destabilise Pakistan with the help of state and other foreign forces. They believe that the terrorism could be defeated through a joint Pak-Afghan fight. Islamabad has already taken up Dir episode with authorities in Kabul hoping that Afghan President Hamid Karzai might offer some help to Pakistan during his critical visit next week. Sources were upbeat that Islamabad and Kabul may agree on some concrete measures, both military and political, to rid the region of the insurgency. They emphasised a political solution that could be reached through a joint Pak-Afghan strategy to engage those insurgents in talks who were ready to disassociate themselves from al-Qaeda, renounce violence and lay down arms. They believed Pakistan should also follow Afghanistans lead in engaging the elements willing to renounce violence and should target only those with military might who unwilling to lay down their arms.