The National Assembly on Sunday approved 88 demands for grants totaling more than Rs43.85 trillion as part of the federal budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, clearing allocations for defence, education, health, infrastructure and other government sectors.
Defence spending approved unanimously
The House endorsed seven grant demands amounting to Rs30.69 trillion for defence and defence production without any opposition cut motions, resulting in unanimous approval of the allocations. This represents the largest single component of the budget, reflecting the government's prioritisation of national security.
Education, communications, and water resources
Besides defence spending, lawmakers approved Rs192.7 billion for the education sector, Rs125.72 billion for communications and over Rs107.32 billion for water resources to support development and operational expenditures during the upcoming fiscal year. These allocations aim to bolster human capital and infrastructure.
Health and technology allocations
The budget also earmarked Rs68.17 billion for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rs53.28 billion for National Health Services, Rs42.07 billion for Information Technology and Telecommunications, Rs37.21 billion for the Planning Division and Rs35.38 billion for the Cabinet Secretariat. The health and IT sectors receive significant boosts to modernise services.
Allocations for industries, commerce, and law
Other significant allocations approved by the House include Rs29.54 billion for Industries and Production, Rs27.99 billion for Commerce, Rs27.57 billion for Information and Broadcasting, Rs24.91 billion for Law and Justice, Rs22.31 billion for Housing and Works, Rs19.54 billion for Science and Technology and Rs15.01 billion for Economic Affairs. These funds are intended to drive economic growth and legal reforms.
Transport and inter-provincial coordination
The National Assembly further sanctioned Rs111.13 billion for Pakistan Railways, alongside Rs5.02 billion for Inter-Provincial Coordination and Rs4.12 billion for Maritime Affairs. The railway allocation aims to improve connectivity and freight capacity.
Additional funding for various sectors
Additional funding approved under the budget includes Rs3.73 billion for Overseas Pakistanis, Rs3.21 billion for the Senate of Pakistan, Rs3.18 billion for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs, Rs3.05 billion for National Heritage and Culture, Rs2.40 billion for Religious Affairs, Rs2.33 billion for Human Rights and Rs1.20 billion for Parliamentary Affairs.
Parliamentary operations
The lower house also approved Rs9.03 billion to meet its own operational expenditures for the fiscal year 2026-27, completing the passage of the grant demands covering key ministries, divisions and public sector institutions. The total approved grants amount to Rs43.85 trillion, according to official sources.
