Pakistan hopes for weapons exports boost

A major defence exhibition is opening today Tuesday in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi.

The show is intended to focus Pakistan's attempts to launch into the arms export market; more than forty foreign delegations are due to attend.

Organisers say it will be one of the largest defence shows ever seen in Asia.

Most of the armaments factories in Pakistan are state-run and produce weapons for the armed forces, but the BBC Islamabad correspondent says they're seen as under-utilized and a drain on public spending.

The authorities say increased arms exports would help the ailing economy, although the income would still only make up a fraction of Pakistan's yearly defence budget.

Critics say the government should spend more on health, education and other social priorities, rather than investing so much in defence.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service