ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly approved 88 demands for grants worth over Rs 4.38 trillion for the federal budget 2026-27, covering key sectors including armed forces, defense production, education, health, communications and water resources. The defense budget was passed unanimously without opposition.
During the budget session, demands for grants exceeding Rs 298 billion for the armed forces and over Rs 109 billion for defense development expenditures were presented. The opposition did not move any cut motions, so the defense budget was approved unanimously.
The House approved seven demands for grants totaling Rs 3.06 trillion for defense and defense production. It also cleared Rs 125.72 billion for communications, over Rs 192.7 billion for education and more than Rs 107.32 billion for water resources.
Other major allocations approved by the Assembly include Rs 35.38 billion for the Cabinet Secretariat, Rs 68.17 billion for foreign affairs, Rs 53.28 billion for national health, Rs 42.7 billion for information technology, Rs 37.21 billion for the planning division and Rs 29.53 billion for industries and production.
The Assembly also approved Rs 27.57 billion for information and broadcasting, Rs 27.99 billion for commerce, Rs 24.91 billion for law and justice, Rs 22.31 billion for housing and works, Rs 19.54 billion for science and technology and Rs 15.01 billion for economic affairs.
Grants of Rs 111.13 billion for railways, Rs 5.02 billion for inter-provincial coordination, Rs 4.12 billion for maritime affairs, Rs 3.04 billion for national heritage and culture, Rs 3.18 billion for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Rs 3.73 billion for overseas Pakistanis, Rs 2.33 billion for human rights, Rs 2.4 billion for religious affairs and Rs 1.20 billion for parliamentary affairs were also approved.
The National Assembly further cleared Rs 9.03 billion for its own expenditures and Rs 3.21 billion for the Senate of Pakistan.
With the approval of all demands for grants, the federal government received formal parliamentary authorization to release funds for various ministries, divisions and government institutions for the next fiscal year, completing a major stage of the budget approval process.
