The federal government has allocated Rs2.122 trillion for defense in the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, reflecting a significant increase in defense spending.

This shows an increase of approximately 14.99% from last year's allocation.

Last year, the government allocated Rs1.804 trillion on defence for the year 2023-24, which was around 13% higher than the revised allocation for the outgoing year.

The defence budget for last year made up nearly 1.7pc of the GDP and 12.5pc of the total expenditure planned by the government over the next year.

Also Read: Finance minister presents Federal Budget 2024-25 amid Opp protest

In 2022-23, Rs1.57tr was allocated for defence affairs and services. However, it was later revised higher to Rs1.59tr.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the Federal Budget 2024–25 worth Rs18.887 trillion as the National Assembly session kicked off after a delay of around an hour amid loud opposition protest.

The members of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) encircled the NA speaker's dice and raised slogans against the government's budget policy. The budget copies reached Parliament and were placed at each member's designated seat.

The federal cabinet approved the budget for the financial year 2024-25. In the cabinet meeting, the package for farmers, youth, and industries was also approved.

Sources claimed that the PM also approved the increase of 25 percent increase in the salaries and pensions of grades 1 to 16 and while 20 percent hike for grade 17 to 22 government officers.