Highlights: Pakistan unveils 2022/23 budget, aims for 5% growth

A shopkeeper place a price tag on rice at a shop in Karachi on June 10, 2022. (AFP)
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Updated 11 June 2022
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Highlights: Pakistan unveils 2022/23 budget, aims for 5% growth

  • Budget aims for economic growth of 5% amid pressure to control the fiscal deficit and secure IMF bailout money
  • Targets 5% economic growth for 2022/23 fiscal year after an estimated annual growth of 5.97% for current fiscal year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Friday unveiled the budget for the 2022/23 fiscal year starting July, aiming for economic growth of 5% amid pressure to control the fiscal deficit and secure International Monetary Fund bailout money.

These are the highlights from the 2022/23 budget:

GDP/DEFICIT

* Targets 5% economic growth for 2022/23 fiscal year, starting July, after an estimated annual growth of 5.97% for the current fiscal year

* Fiscal deficit target set at 4.9% of GDP for 2022/23 vs revised target of 7.1% in 2021/22

* Tax to GDP ratio set at 9.2% for 2022/23 vs 9% in 2021/22

RISKS TO ECONOMY

* Conflict between Russia and Ukraine poses a risk to Pakistan's economy

* Higher crude oil, food prices could stoke high inflation

* Monetary tightening and fiscal consolidation may slow down economic growth

EXPENDITURE

* Federal expenditure estimated at 9.5 trillion rupees for 2022/23

* Development expenditure set at 800 billion rupees for 2022/23

* Pakistan to spend 699 billion rupees on targeted subsidies in 2022/23

* Defence expenditure set at 1.52 trillion rupees for 2022/23 vs 1.48 trillion rupees in 2021/22

* Budget allocates 90.55 bln rupees for education in 2022/23 vs 90.86 bln in 2021/22

* Pakistan cuts health budget to 19.03 bln rupees for 2022/23 vs 154.49 bln rupees in 2021/22

REVENUE

* Revenue target set at 7 trillion rupees for 2022/23

* Aims to raise 96.41 billion rupees from privatisation in 2022/23

* To impose 2% additional tax on income taxpayers with 30 million rupees annual income

* Expects 300 bln rupees receipts from central bank in 2022/23 vs 474 bln rupees in 2021/22

INFLATION

* Budget forecasts average inflation of 11.5% in 2022/23 vs 11.7% in 2021/22

* Consumer-price-index based inflation rose in May to 13.8% year-on-year, the highest in two-and-half years.

* Pakistan raised petrol and diesel prices by around 20% earlier this month

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

* Pakistan's export target set at $35 billion for 2022/23

* Import target set at $70 billion for 2022/23

* Trade deficit target set at 2.2% of GDP in 2022/23

* Budget forecasts remittances of $33.2 billion in 2022/23

AUSTERITY MEASURES

* Ban on buying new cars for govt officials

* Aims cuts in fuel consumption by govt officials

* Funds for debt servicing estimated at 3.9 trillion rupees in 2022/23

OTHER INITIATIVES

* To raise tax exemption limit for salaried income taxpayers

* Announces to promote special economic zones to boost manufacturing

* Offers 5-year tax holiday for film production industry

* To set up 250 mini-stadiums to promote sports

* To exempt import of solar panels from tax

* Exempts 30 pharmaceutical products from customs duty

* Proposes 15% hike in govt employees' salaries

(This story corrects federal expenditure figure to 9.5 trillion rupees from 9.5 billion rupees)

($1 = 202.00 Pakistani rupees)


Pakistan, ADB ink $61.8 million agreements for three development projects

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Pakistan, ADB ink $61.8 million agreements for three development projects

  • Agreements pertain to the upgradation of ML-1 railway link, key bus project in Quetta and water sector development in Balochistan
  • Pakistani official says projects will “significantly contribute” to long-term, sustainable economic growth, address infrastructure needs

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday signed agreements for three major development initiatives worth $61.8 million to boost connectivity, urban transport and water sector in various parts of the country, state-run media reported. 

The two side signed agreements relating to project readiness financing for the Karachi-Rohri Section of the Main Line-I, a critical link needed to transport copper and gold from the Reko Diq mine in southwestern Pakistan to export hubs, for $10 million. 

Another project readiness financing agreement was signed for a bus rapid transit project in the southwestern city of Quetta worth $3.8 million. The last agreement pertained to additional financing for the Balochistan Water Resources Development Sector Project, which amounts to $48 million. 

“The secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, expressed appreciation for ADB’s role as a trusted development partner, and its continued support to Pakistan to complement the development agenda of the country,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said. 

He said the critical projects would “significantly contribute” to Pakistan’s long-term and sustainable economic growth, address urban infrastructure needs of the provincial capital of Quetta, and enhance agricultural productivity in Balochistan.

ADB’s Country Director for Pakistan Emma Fan appreciated Pakistan’s commitment toward development initiatives. 

“She also reaffirmed ADB’s continued commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and other stakeholders to ensure its support remains aligned with Pakistan’s development priorities,” APP said. 

ADB has undertaken initiatives to support Pakistan’s economic recovery by strengthening its public finances, social protection systems and helping Islamabad with its post-flood reconstruction efforts. 

The bank says it has committed 764 public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance to the South Asian country totaling $43.4 billion to date.