Balochistan overlooked in federal budget, claims opposition

QUETTA: Opposition lawmakers in the Balochistan Assembly on Saturday launched a sharp criticism of the federal government during debate on the provincial budget for fiscal year 2026-27, saying Islamabad had sidelined the province in the federal budget and reduced its share of resources, worsening conditions for residents of the underdeveloped province.

The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola, began one and a half hours behind schedule. During the debate, opposition members said Balochistan was still grappling with terrorism despite what they described as heavy security spending, and called for urgent action to improve law and order, create jobs and ease economic hardship. Treasury members, however, defended the provincial budget and described it as balanced and inclusive.

Opposition raises development and resource concerns

JUI-F lawmaker Fazal Qadir Mandokhail said allocations for development projects were too small. He argued that the Rs200 billion Public Sector Development Programme did not meet the province’s needs, saying the amount was comparable to the cost of a single expressway project in Faisalabad. He also said ongoing schemes had not been given adequate funding and urged the government to raise allocations, particularly for projects intended to tackle water shortages in Zhob.

National Party MPA Kulsoom Niaz Baloch said the federal budget had ignored Balochistan and stressed that the province should receive a fair share of resources. She said meaningful development and prosperity would not be possible without empowering young people. She also criticised the small allocation for women-focused schemes, saying women’s participation was vital for the province’s advancement. In addition, she demanded the release of employees arrested during protests by the Grand Alliance.

BAP lawmaker Farah Azeem Shah drew attention to the economic difficulties facing young people in Makran and warned that financial deprivation was pushing some of them toward extremism.

Calls for agriculture, jobs and youth programmes

Public Accounts Committee Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen also criticised the federal government and alleged that Balochistan’s share in the federal budget had been reduced unfairly. He said the provision of only 5,000 jobs for youth across the province was not enough and called for stronger attention to agriculture, irrigation and livestock.

JUI-F member Shahida Rauf said criticism of the budget should remain constructive, but maintained that the Rs4.4 billion set aside for agriculture was too low. She also called for internship and skills development programmes to expand employment opportunities for young people.

The debate reflected broader demands from opposition benches for higher allocations for agriculture, water-related projects and youth-oriented initiatives, while government members continued to defend the provincial fiscal plan as an inclusive document.