Pakistan, June 14 -- The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a Rs2.119 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.

The budget proposes a 10% increase in salaries for government employees and a 7% hike in pensions. The provincial minimum wage has also been raised from Rs36,000 to Rs40,000. Provincial Finance Minister Aftab Alam presented the budget, highlighting a Rs157 billion surplus and a strong emphasis on public welfare and economic reforms.

The Annual Development Programme (ADP) has been allocated Rs547 billion, with a record Rs155 billion reserved under the ADP Plus initiative to fast-track key infrastructure projects. To ease the tax burden, proposals include reducing stamp duty from 2% to 1% on property transfers, elimi...