THE priority accorded to basic infrastructure development particularly road and transport projects in the federal development budget for 2025-26 is a welcome step.
With Rs 1,000 billion allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the government’s focus on projects such as the dualisation of the Karachi-Chaman Highway, Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) and Thar Coal Rail Connectivity is a step in the right direction.
These initiatives are essential not only for reducing logistical inefficiencies but also for promoting trade, enhancing regional integration and creating jobs across various sectors of the economy.
Transport and connectivity are the lifeblood of commerce.
Prioritizing these areas will help unlock Pakistan’s economic potential and stimulate private sector-led growth, especially if supported by timely execution and transparent monitoring.
The emphasis on near-completion and high-impact projects is a prudent approach that can help avoid the waste often associated with scattered or politically driven allocations.
Equally important is the recognition of urgent water challenges.
The budget allocates Rs 133 billion for water resources, including significant amounts for key reservoir projects like Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam and the K-IV water supply scheme.
Given India’s threats to manipulate river flows and the country’s growing internal water stress, strengthening water storage and distribution infrastructure is a strategic necessity.
What is urgently needed is decisive and accelerated action on the ground.
Delays in water project execution have cost the country dearly in the past and cannot be afforded any longer.
The glaring neglect of the agriculture sector in the federal budget is deeply disappointing.
With agricultural growth stagnating at a mere 0.6 per cent in the outgoing fiscal year, the sector clearly needs urgent attention and structural support.
We hope the provincial governments, through their Annual Development Programmes (ADPs), will step up where the federal government has fallen short.
They must allocate meaningful resources to revive the agriculture sector, support small farmers, modernize irrigation systems and improve access to less expensive inputs, etc.
Relief measures targeted at farmers — especially in the form of input subsidies should be introduced to ensure their well-being and productivity.
Farmer prosperity is not just a rural issue — it is central to national food security and overall economic resilience.
