PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Advisor on Finance and Interprovincial Coordination Muzammil Aslam has outlined the provincial government’s one-year performance, emphasizing fiscal achievements while criticizing the federal government’s media spending.
In a video message, Aslam announced that KP recorded a Rs. 169 billion budget surplus in the first six months, surpassing its Rs. 100 billion target. He stated that the province is on track to achieve the Rs. 178 billion surplus set by the IMF, contrasting this with the federal government’s Rs. 606 billion revenue shortfall over eight months.
Aslam also criticized Maryam Nawaz, saying that while the KP government has published a performance report titled “25 Sectors and 25 Achievements”, the Punjab government spent resources on 60-page newspaper advertisements featuring 132 images of Maryam Nawaz. He positioned KP’s approach as a model of governance, stating that the province’s documented progress serves as an example for other administrations.
The KP government has launched key financial initiatives, including the province’s first-ever debt management fund with an initial Rs. 30 billion allocation, which will soon be increased to Rs. 70 billion. Aslam noted a 200% increase in mineral royalties and the introduction of an infrastructure development cess to enhance revenue collection.
The province has released 50% of development funds within six months and plans to exceed the allocated budget by an additional 25%. Additionally, the government has launched a Rs. 15 billion Ehsaas Program, allocated Rs. 10 billion for free textbooks, and undertaken pension reforms to improve fiscal sustainability.
KP has also reported improvements in non-tax revenue, which now stands at 55%, while tax revenue has reached 46%. Aslam credited these financial reforms for making KP’s revenue collection in the first six months exceed that of the previous year.
