Pakistan, June 2 -- Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has announced that the government will allocate Rs1,000 billion for development in the 2025-26 budget, down from Rs1,100 billion this fiscal year. He called it a "difficult but focused" adjustment made to stay within fiscal limits.

Speaking at the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) meeting, he confirmed that Rs250 billion will go directly to Balochistan to boost provincial development. Other regions will also receive funds, but the focus will be on projects of national importance.

Iqbal said the government is setting realistic growth targets for the next fiscal year: 4.2% GDP growth, 4.5% agricultural growth, and 4.3% industrial growth. The livestock sector is also expecte...