The Trump administration wants parliamentary or civilian oversight of Pakistan’s defence budgets. The United States has sought accountability for Islamabad’s military and intelligence budgets, Dawn reported. The US Department of State included the recommendation in its 2025 Fiscal Transparency Report, released on Friday, September 19.
The annual assessment reviews the fiscal transparency across governments to ensure appropriate use of US taxpayer funds. “The military and intelligence budgets were not subject to adequate parliamentary or civilian public oversight,” the report stated under its Pakistan section. It added the steps Islamabad can take include defence budgets under public oversight.
According to Dawn, the report further urged the timely publication of Pak’s executive budget, adding that the release would allow for scrutiny and informed debate. The government… did not publish its executive budget proposal within a reasonable period,” the assessment noted.
The report recommended disclosing comprehensive data on govt debt obligations, including for state-owned enterprises. Besides assessing shortcomings, the fiscal transparency report highlighted progress in other areas, including independence of Pakistan’s audit institution.
The report comes as Pakistan faces mounting budgetary pressures. “The government presented its budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, totaling Rs17.57 trillion. Of this, Rs 9.7tr has been allocated for debt servicing, while Rs 2.55tr has been set aside for defence – a nearly 20 per cent increase compared to last year,” Dawn reported.
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