A Senate committee was left stunned on Friday after learning about a planned 16-kilometre motorway between Lahore and Raiwind, sparking tough questions over project priorities and fairness in national development. During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development, Chairperson Senator Quratulain Marri questioned the purpose of the short motorway. She pointedly […]
Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP
Pakistan’s top agri research body becomes ‘dormant’
The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has become practically non-functional in FY2025–26, as no research project was included for it in the new Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). Despite government claims of prioritizing agriculture, no research work is now active at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), PARC’s main arm. Only one project—potato seed production […]
Govt hikes SOE funding by 80% in FY26, pushes ahead with reforms and privatisation
The federal government has allocated Rs354.81 billion to State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for FY2025–26, reflecting an 80.3% increase from Rs196.83 billion last year. These funds, released under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), will support key SOEs in infrastructure, transport, energy, and financial services—sectors critical to national development. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, in his budget speech, […]
Govt allocates Rs1.1 billion to boost sports infrastructure in federal budget
The federal government has allocated Rs1.1 billion for sports development under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2025-26. The move aims to improve sports facilities across the country and promote youth participation in physical activities. According to the budget documents, two new schemes are included in this year’s PSDP. One major […]
Rs13.5 billion allocated for digital growth: Pakistan’s 2025 budget fuels IT and tech infrastructure
The federal government has proposed Rs13.5 billion for IT and digital infrastructure projects in the 2025-26 Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). The goal is to accelerate digital transformation and strengthen Pakistan’s IT ecosystem. The budget includes 12 ongoing projects under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications (MoITT), with a total cost of Rs85.7 billion. […]
Govt to focus on key projects as budget shrinks to Rs880bn: Ahsan Iqbal
The federal government has decided to focus only on high-priority development projects in the upcoming fiscal year due to limited funds. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that the total Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) now stands at Rs880 billion, excluding Rs120bn for the N-25 expressway upgrade in Balochistan. The rest of the development […]
Govt allocates Rs1 trillion for development projects in FY26 budget amid tight cuts
The federal government has decided to allocate Rs1 trillion for the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in the 2025–26 budget, trimming down ministries’ original demand of Rs3 trillion. According to official documents, the Finance Ministry initially suggested a budget ceiling of Rs921 billion but later increased it to a round figure of Rs1 trillion. As […]
Govt utilises just 54% of development budget, SDG funds see high use
The federal government has only spent 54% of its revised Rs1.096 trillion development budget in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2024–25. So far, Rs593 billion has been utilised, raising concerns as the financial year ends on June 30, 2025. The underutilisation reflects a persistent challenge in executing planned development schemes on time. Despite […]
Rs1 trillion+ development budget aims to transform roads, water, and energy sectors
The federal government plans to spend more than Rs1 trillion on development projects in the fiscal year 2025-26. This large budget will fund important areas such as roads, water supply, power generation, and higher education. Officials say this shows the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and social services across the country. The Annual Plan Coordination […]
Pakistan’s development budget: Rs448 billion spent in first three quarters of FY 2024-25
The federal government has spent Rs448.64 billion on development projects during the first nine months of FY 2024-25. This spending represents 50.2% of the total Rs1.1 trillion Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) budget. The projects aim to boost infrastructure and services across the country, especially in underdeveloped regions. According to the Ministry of Planning, the […]