Pakistan to increase defence budget 2025, confirms Minister Ahsan Iqbal

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Federal Minister for Planning, Ahsan Iqbal, on Saturday, revealed that the government intends to increase the defence budget in the upcoming budget 2025 due to the aggressive posture of India.

The Federal Budget 2025 was postponed till June 10 on Friday after sources said that the negotiations between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the government were not concluded.

However, the federal minister Iqbal confirmed that the federal budget 2025 was not postponed due to any pressure from the IMF, but due to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s foreign visits and Eidul Azha holidays.

“As you’ve seen, they acknowledged our government’s efforts. The main reason behind the delay is the PM’s five-day visit to friendly countries … and Eid after that,” said Ahsan Iqbal.

“We decided to present the budget after Eid so that we can easily convene a meeting of parliament afterwards,” he added.

Referring to the increasing defence spending in the 2025 Budget, he said, “It is our national duty to provide the armed forces with whatever they need in this budget to bolster their capacity and defend our country in the future.”

“It has been proven that we have a dangerous neighbour (India) who attacked us in the night, but we gave them a befitting response.”

Furthermore, the planning minister also revealed that Pakistan will fast-track critical water projects in the backdrop of India’s unilateral and illegal suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

India is reportedly considering plans to illegally increase water usage from the rivers that are rightfully Pakistan’s and the source of the entire agricultural ecosystem.

For the last many years, the Modi-led government has been finding excuses to stir up trouble and destroy the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, and the Pahalgam incident is being used as an excuse to destabilise the region.

Read more: Crackdown likely on anti-Pakistan voices amid India conflict: Muneeb Farooq claims

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