Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, has expressed his reservations over the approval of the development
budget and annual plan without his consultation.
According to media reports, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, Jahanzeb Khan, did not consult Ahsan Iqbal before approving the PSDP worth Rs
1221 billion on May 31. Moreover, the minister was also not consulted on the GDP growth targets of 2.4% for the current year and 3.6% for the next year, sources added.
It stated that annual Plan Coordination Committee meeting is likely to be convened again, it was not held due to the non-formation of the National Economic Council. The PSDP and annual plan will require approval from the Prime Minister-headed National Economic Council, sources added.
In a separate report, it was revealed that due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) target, the development budget of Pakistan is reportedly being affected, ARY News reported on Friday. According to recent documents, the development budget of Rs 950 billion only Rs 379 billion was utilized to meet IMF targets this year. These budget reductions have damaged the various sectors including health, higher education, and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
