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 exchange earlier this year which reignited fears of escalation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb both justified the defense budget hike as a vital step to ensure Pakistan’s strategic deterrence and preparedness. But this explanation, though emotionally resonant, fails to address the imbalance this move creates across the broader spectrum of national priorities. The boost in defense spending might serve to reassure the military and bolster political posturing, but it has come at a steep cost to the average Pakistani citizen.
In a nation where more than 20 million children remain out of school, where literacy rates continue to lag behind regional averages, and where the quality of education in government institutions is deteriorating, allocating just Rs 93 billion to education is indefensible.
In a nation where more than 20 million children remain out of school, where literacy rates continue to lag behind regional averages, and where the quality of education in government institutions is deteriorating, allocating just Rs 93 billion to education is indefensible. The education system in Pakistan has long suffered from chronic underfunding, leading to overcrowded classrooms, underpaid teachers, and a lack of basic infrastructure in schools across rural and even urban areas. With such an alarming state of affairs, education should have been placed at the heart of budgetary planning, not relegated to the margins in favor of expanding military capabilities.
Healthcare has fared no better. Pakistan continues to struggle with low life expectancy, high maternal and infant mortality rates, and a dilapidated public health system that is woefully under-equipped to meet the needs of its people. Despite these grim realities, the 2025-26 budget has allocated only Rs 25 billion to health, a fraction of what is necessary to even begin addressing the country’s pressing healthcare challenges. Most hospitals lack sufficient beds, qualified staff, and modern medical equipment. In many rural districts, healthcare centers are either non-functional or absent entirely. The government’s decision to dedicate such a paltry amount to this vital sector reflects a disregard for the health and well-being of the population.
The imbalance becomes even more apparent when considering that the defense budget now constitutes roughly 14.5% of total federal expenditures. The massive sums funneled into military operations, procurement, and strategic programs could have been partially redirected to address Pakistan’s worsening economic inequality, hunger, and lack of access to essential services. Instead, we are seeing an entrenched pattern of militarization in fiscal policy, where the needs of the armed forces are continuously prioritized over those of the general populace.
Critics of the federal budget argue that this defense-heavy approach does not align with the real needs of Pakistan. Civil society organizations, independent economists, and public policy experts have raised alarm bells over this trend. They point out that meaningful, long-term national security is not just about weapons and soldiers but it is about strong institutions, a well-educated citizenry, a healthy workforce, and inclusive economic development. These are the foundations of a resilient and truly secure state. By contrast, a narrow focus on military spending ignores the multifaceted nature of security in the modern world.
Furthermore, the increased defense budget also raises the specter of missed opportunities. Pakistan remains a country rich in potential. Its youth population is among the largest in the world, and with proper investment in education and skill development, it could serve as a powerful engine for growth. Healthcare improvements could raise labor productivity, reduce disease burdens, and enhance quality of life. Infrastructure development in education and health could also create jobs and stimulate economic activity in underserved areas. But none of this is possible when the government chooses to pour billions into military coffers at the expense of public welfare.
The budget’s impact is not just theoretical. The consequences are already being felt across the country. Teachers and doctors continue to protest unpaid salaries, patients in public hospitals struggle to find basic medicine, and millions of children face a bleak future without access to schools. These aren’t abstract numbers in a government document , they represent real lives being affected by the choices of those in power. And while tanks and fighter jets may make for compelling optics, they cannot compensate for empty classrooms, crumbling clinics, and the daily struggles of working-class families trying to survive in an increasingly unequal society
It is high time Pakistan’s leadership reconsiders its definition of national strength. True security does not lie solely in military might, but in the education of its youth, the health of its people, and the strength of its institutions. No nation can thrive when classrooms remain empty and hospitals underfunded, while billions are poured into defense. The path to lasting peace and prosperity lies not in preparing for war, but in investing in the people. If the government continues to neglect these fundamental pillars of development, the real threat to Pakistan’s future may not come from beyond its borders , but from within.
The writer works at College Education Department, Government of Sindh.