Pakistan’s public debt burden grew sharply in fiscal year 2024–25: per‑capita public debt rose to about Rs333,041 (a ~13% year‑on‑year increase), and total public debt increased from roughly Rs71.2 trillion in June 2024 to about Rs80–80.5 trillion by June 2025, lifting the debt‑to‑GDP ratio to about 70.7%. The Finance Ministry and media reports attribute the rise mainly to higher interest payments, exchange‑rate movements and additional borrowing to finance spending beyond statutory limits; the federal fiscal deficit reached about 6.2% of GDP versus a legal ceiling of 3.5%, producing an overshoot of roughly Rs3.1 trillion. [1][2][5] Beyond headline totals, government papers and reporting underline different dimensions of the problem: the Debt Policy Statement and Fiscal Policy Statement note that debt composition shifted modestly (domestic debt rose, external debt share declined to about 32%), the government extended maturities and reduced the share of short‑term treasury bills to lower refinancing risk, and external commercial borrowing rose marginally — external debt was also reported in dollar terms at around $91.8 billion. Some reporting emphasizes defence and current expenditure pressures (defence spending slightly above budget, development spending below allocation), while others stress missed revenue targets by the tax authority, all of which help explain the fiscal gap policymakers face. [4][2][5] Taken together, the sources portray a fiscal position where rising interest costs and currency effects have substantially increased liabilities and budgetary strain, prompting the government to pursue maturity‑lengthening and diversification of financing while promising medium‑term fiscal consolidation. Most outlets reviewed report closely matching headline figures; one source listed in the assignment (Profit by Pakistan Today) was inaccessible during this review, so its full text could not be verified, but the available reports are broadly consistent in the main figures and policy responses. [1][2][4][5]