Govt Puts Highest Priority on Foreign-Funded Projects for FY26 Budget to Woo IMF

The federal government has put the highest priority on the completion of ongoing and overall foreign-funded development projects in fiscal year 2025-26 to satisfy the International Monetary Fund (IMF), well-informed sources told ProPakistani. According to official sources, the Ministry of Planning has proposed a development budget of Rs. 2,900 billion for the next fiscal year and has sent a formal request to the Ministry of Finance for additional funding. A response is still awaited, sources added. Under the proposed strategy, the government aims to complete at least 100 major national development projects already in progress within the next fiscal year. A total of 276 projects are scheduled to be completed by June 30 of the current fiscal year, while the broader development portfolio currently includes 1,071 schemes. Officials confirmed that the focus will remain on finalizing mega development schemes instead of initiating new ones, especially those of a provincial nature. Over the next three to four years, the government has set a target to complete several high-priority projects. Key areas receiving increased resource allocation in the next fiscal year include road infrastructure, communication networks, dam construction, IT, power generation, water resources, and skill development. Sources said that only the most essential new projects will be considered, while the overarching priority will be to ensure the timely completion of ongoing schemes.