The budget proposals were approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur. The total estimate for the 2025-26 budget is Rs 2,119 billion. The provincial government’s revenue is projected to be Rs 1,778.9 billion. In this budget, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will receive Rs 1,576 billion from the federal government, and the provincial government has estimated its revenue to be Rs 129 billion.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Aftab Alam emphasised that this is the largest budget in the province’s history. He highlighted that there are significant allocations for law enforcement and public welfare, including a substantial package for police salaries and equipment. Additionally, the budget includes provisions for the skilled workforce and the business community.
Minister Alam noted that no new taxes have been imposed on the public in this budget. Life insurance has also been incorporated into the budget. He stated that the province has achieved economic stability, and there has been a reduction in plot taxes for the underprivileged sectors of society.
Read also: KP Governor and Chief Minister face-off each other for not signing budget session summary
A constitutional stand-off emerged with Chief Minister as Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Kareem Kundi refused to sign the budget session summary for today meeting.
The provincial government, led by Chief Minister Gandapur, had announced that the annual budget would be presented today. However, the necessary constitutional formality, approval of the session summary by the Governor, remains incomplete. The Chief Minister had forwarded a summary requesting the summoning of the provincial assembly session, but Governor Kundi has yet to sign it.
Speaking to the media, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed that he has received the summary. However, he stressed that he is constitutionally allowed up to 14 days to sign the document and is not obligated to do so immediately. “It is not mandatory to sign it today,” he said. “I will only sign it after carefully examining all constitutional and legal aspects.”
Kundi also responded strongly to what he described as political pressure from the Chief Minister. “Ali Amin Gandapur should refrain from making hollow threats,” he said. “I will not be intimidated into signing the summary under duress or coercion.”
