Faisal Vawda calls for tripling defence budget, doubling salaries

Independent Senator Faisal Vawda on Thursday urged the government to reduce the national development budget and instead boost spending on defence, citing heightened tensions with India as justification for reprioritizing national resources.

Speaking during a Senate session, Vawda said, “We will have to tighten our belts and increase the defence budget; instead of focusing on development projects, our attention must now shift toward defence.” He emphasized that security must take precedence over infrastructure and economic development, especially in the current geopolitical climate.

The senator proposed that the salaries of Pakistan’s armed forces should be doubled, arguing that greater investment in national defence is essential to counter external threats. He stressed the importance of preparing strong strategic responses to India, stating that significant investment was needed to strengthen the military’s capabilities.

“Only after bringing the conflict with India to a logical conclusion should we think about development,” Vawda said. He added that the country was in “safe hands” and that the nation was united behind its security forces. The key challenge now, he claimed, is determining how to significantly increase the defence budget to match future needs.

Vawda’s comments come amid rising security concerns and calls from other lawmakers for a tougher stance against alleged foreign-backed terrorism in Pakistan. His proposal is likely to spark debate over the balance between development and defence spending in the national budget.