Pakistan, June 12 -- On the eve of a recent conflict with India, Pakistan's federal government unveiled its 2025-26 budget, revealing a dramatic 20% increase in defense spending, taking the total to Rs 2.55 trillion. This significant hike, framed as a necessary response to national security threats, has drawn widespread criticism for sidelining critical social sectors such as education, health, and poverty alleviation. While ensuring national defense is an important responsibility of any government, the prioritization of military expenditure over human development has far-reaching consequences that cannot be ignored.

The rationale provided by the government centers around recent military tensions with India, particularly the missile exch...