Pakistan in fear after Operation Sindoor, announces major changes in its…, says this about India
Pakistan has long been under the global spotlight for its alleged leniency and quiet support toward terrorism, a charge most strongly echoed by its neighbours, India and Afghanistan. After facing a major setback at the hands of India during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has announced plans to increase its defence budget. The operation was launched in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 Indians and one Nepali national.
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced that the country’s defence budget will see an increase in the upcoming 2025–26 fiscal year. He emphasized that although the government is working to reduce the economic pressure on ordinary citizens, boosting defence expenditure is crucial to protect the nation’s sovereignty.
Pakistan in fear after Operation Sindoor, announces major changes in its…, says this about India
“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,” the minister said. “It has been proven that we have a dangerous neighbour (India) who attacked us in the night, but we gave them a befitting response,” Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal was quoted as saying by The Dawn. Furthermore, he stated that the country must “remain ready to respond if they attack again”.
This decision comes in the wake of recent tensions with India, particularly after India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty agreement. While talking about Pakistani water security, Iqbal stated that the country will fast-track water projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.
Iqbal stated that securing Pakistan’s water resources is a top priority. “The PM has sent over a thousand agricultural engineers to China for training, who will complete their training this year and bring about an agricultural Green Revolution 2.0,” Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reported The Dawn. He added, “We aim to develop our own seeds and modernise our dairy and livestock sectors.”
Additionally, Iqbal mentioned that the budget includes funding for an internship program for engineers.
However, the minister also clarified that Pakistan has only 1 trillion rupees available for the development budget to implement all these plans. He said, “Our ministers required Rs3tr to complete our ongoing projects. But, because of this shortfall, we are putting a cap on low-priority projects and will try to complete our high-priority projects as quickly as possible.”
It is noteworthy that earlier this month, Ahsan Iqbal had announced that Pakistan’s federal budget would be presented on June 2. However, the finance minister’s advisor, Khurram Shehzad, stated on Friday that the budget will now be presented on June 10, with the Economic Survey to be released one day earlier.
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