The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly approved a supplementary budget of Rs192.74 billion for the current fiscal year (2024-25), covering 62 funding demands for additional departmental expenditures.
The approval led to a heated protest and walkout by opposition parties, who criticised the move as a sign of poor planning and economic mismanagement by the provincial government.
The session, presided over by Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, became contentious after he used special powers to fast-track the budget and dismiss opposition cut motions.
Dr Ibadullah, Leader of the Opposition, raised concerns over the province’s growing debt, which has increased from Rs150 billion to Rs800 billion under successive PTI governments. He also criticised the unspent development funds and flagged Rs200 billion in financial irregularities, as reported by the auditor general.
Opposition members argued that this was the 14th supplementary budget under the PTI’s 13-year rule, accusing the government of mismanagement and excessive spending. They questioned the legitimacy of claiming a surplus when unchecked expenditures continued to rise.
