The Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly on Thursday approved a Rs148.63 billion budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 by majority vote, despite strong criticism from opposition lawmakers over alleged discriminatory allocations and lack of transparency.
Speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate presided over the session, during which opposition leader Kazim Mesum accused the government of favouring select individuals and regions. He also claimed that the federal government had excluded the Thak and Gawari power projects from the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The approved budget includes Rs88.19 billion for non-development expenditure and Rs37 billion for development projects. It also grants a 10% salary increase for government employees and additional allowances.
Federal projects were included in the budget, with Rs11 billion allocated under the PSDP and Rs4 billion for the Prime Minister’s Programme. A wheat subsidy of Rs20 billion was earmarked, while the non-tax revenue target was set at Rs7.89 billion.
The education sector was allocated Rs147 billion, while Rs1.25 billion was approved for health initiatives, including Rs620 million for the Health Endowment Fund. Other allocations included Rs350 million for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries, Rs90 million for tourism, and Rs100 million for IT development.
Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan defended the budget, stating that it focused on completing ongoing projects while also including new development initiatives. He described the budget as people-centric and balanced.
Opposition members rejected the budget’s structure. Javed Ali Manwa labelled it “anti-poor” and claimed no funds had been allocated for development schemes for assembly members, while Rs30 million had been assigned to the chief minister. Another member, Syed Sohail Abbas, called the budget “a fraud with people,” while PPP’s Jamil Ahmed from the treasury benches also criticised the lack of funds for new schemes.
