ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has approved a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) of Rs 250 million for the National Security Division (NSD), with the direction that the Finance Division and NSD should hold consultations to rationalise the initially requested amount of Rs 447.428 million, sources in the Finance Division told Business Recorder.
At a recent ECC meeting chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, the NSD briefed the forum on the role of the Strategic Policy Planning Cell (SPPC), established within the National Security Division in June 2019.
The SPPC was primarily created to serve as an intellectual hub providing evidence-based policy inputs on matters relevant to the National Security Committee, in line with its approved Terms of Reference (ToRs).
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In the wake of the May 2025 Pakistan-India conflict, a need was identified to revitalize the SPPC and further strengthen the NSD to address emerging national security challenges.
To that end, the NSD had requested the Finance Division in May 2025 to enhance its provisional Indicative Budget Ceiling (IBC) from Rs 236.572 million to Rs 714.069 million for the financial year 2025–26.
In June 2025, the Finance Division responded by assuring that any shortfall in allocation would be addressed during the fiscal year 2025–26.
The allocated budget of Rs 236.572 million for FY 2025–26 comprises Rs140 million for the main division and Rs 96.572 million for the SPPC. However, the funds allocated to SPPC were deemed insufficient due to several key requirements, including: (i) recruitment of Professionals: The process of hiring 14 qualified professionals for MP-I, MP-II, and MP-III positions — approved by the Prime Minister — is currently underway. This requires Rs 114 million; (ii) Islamabad Security Dialogue (ISD): As mandated by the Rules of Business, 1973, organizing the ISD falls under NSD’s purview. Given the regional security environment, the event is deemed critical. While Rs 51.750 million has been allocated, the total requirement is Rs 230 million ;(iii) International Expert Engagement: SPPC aims to commission research projects involving internationally reputed experts to inform policy formulation, requiring Rs50 million; (iv) Foreign Visits: An allocation of Rs 80 million is needed to support expected official foreign visits by NSD leadership; (v) Office Renovation: Renovation of offices for newly hired MP Scale officers — including procurement of furniture, IT equipment, and other items — requires Rs 95 million; and (vi) Conference Room Setup: A dedicated conference room is also considered essential, with an estimated cost of Rs 5 million.
After presenting these justifications, the NSD formally requested a Technical Supplementary Grant of Rs 447.428 million for the SPPC during the current fiscal year.
During deliberations, the Finance Division advised the NSD to rationalise its demand in light of the government’s ongoing austerity measures.
While approving Rs 250 million, the ECC instructed both the Finance Division and the NSD to conduct a joint consultative meeting to finalise a mutually agreed and rationalised funding request, which would then be submitted to the ECC for further consideration.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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