Army First, Public Later? Pakistan Budget Delayed Over GHQ’s Defence Hike Demand | Exclusive

Key points

• Army First, Public Later?
• Pakistan Budget Delayed Over GHQ’s Defence Hike Demand | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 03, 2026, 15:18 IST The budget delay has exposed Pakistan’s civil-military imbalance, with GHQ seeking a 20–25 per cent defence hike despite IMF pressure for tighter spending.
• Rapid Read Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
• (File Image) Pakistan has delayed the announcement of its federal budget amid a widening dispute over defence spending, provincial funding and International Monetary Fund-linked fiscal targets, top sources have told CNN-News18. The budget, earlier tentatively expected around June 5, is now likely to be announced next week after the Shehbaz Sharif government failed to resolve disagreements over expenditure allocations, including a proposed sharp increase in defence spending.
• According to top government sources, Pakistan’s General Headquarters (GHQ) has sought at least a 20–25 per cent increase in defence expenditure at a time when the country is facing severe...