Key takeaways from Pakistan's budget 2024-25

Government aims to gain 3.6% economic growth with federal budget 2024-25

By
Reuters
|
A man walks with sacks of supplies on his shoulder to deliver to a nearby shop at a market in Karachi, Pakistan June 11, 2024. — Reuters 

The federal government has launched the budget for the fiscal year to June 2025 on Wednesday, setting a target of 3.6% economic growth as it aims to achieve a new bailout deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Following are some of the highlights from the 2024-25 budget:

GDP-deficit

  • Targets 3.6% economic growth for 2024-25.
  • Fiscal deficit seen at 6.9% of GDP for 2024-25.

Expenditure

  • Total spending estimated to be 18.9 trillion Pakistani rupees ($67.84 billion) in 2024-25.
  • Expects debt servicing of 9.8 trillion rupees in 2024-25.
  • Defence expenditure of 2.1 trillion rupees expected in 2024-25.
  • Pension payments seen at 1 trillion rupees in 2024-25.
  • Total subsidies projected at 1.4 trillion rupees in 2024-25.
  • Projects 27% increase in cash handouts to 600 billion rupees under income support in 2024-25.

Revenue

  • Targets total tax revenue of 13 trillion rupees for 2024-25.
  • Targets total non-tax revenue of 3.5 trillion rupees in 2024-25.
  • Aims to secure 30 billion rupees from privatisation in 2024-25.
  • Targets next external receipts of 666 billion rupees in 2024-25