According to the budget documents for the fiscal year 2024-25, several upcoming development projects will rely heavily on external funding. The federal and provincial governments have decided to secure an external loan totaling Rs932 billion to finance these initiatives.
The federal government intends to borrow Rs316 billion, while the four provinces combined will obtain Rs616 billion in external loans. Sindh is set to take the largest share, borrowing Rs334 billion, indicating its substantial dependence on external funding for its development agenda.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will rely on external debt amounting to Rs131 billion for its development projects. Punjab plans to secure Rs123 billion in external loans, and Balochistan will borrow Rs29 billion for its development projects in the next financial year.
In addition, as requested by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), details of investments from local sources were also disclosed. Various departments are projected to spend Rs196.89 billion from their own resources on development projects.
Moreover, the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and distribution companies (DISCOs) will invest Rs102.23 billion from their own resources.
This reliance on external loans highlights the financial challenges the country faces in funding its development agenda. The significant borrowing also underscores the ambitious scope of the development projects planned nationwide.
