The federal development strategy remains heavily biased toward physical brick-and-mortar infrastructure. The Ministry of Planning utilizes a “Rockfill Strategy” to classify its 786 active development projects. Under this budget framework, projects are split into “Rocks” (costing over Rs. 7.5 billion), “Pebbles” (Rs. 1 billion to Rs. 7.5 billion), and “Sand” (costing under Rs. 1 billion).
Regrettably, modern technology, localized industrial tech zones, and digital governance assets are largely treated like low-priority “Sand” or minor pebbles. The state is allocating lion’s share of capital to heavy transport and irrigation networks while starving the digital ecosystem.
The Rockfill Disparity in FY27 Budget
The data reveals a stark hierarchy in funding distribution. A tiny group of 197 large-scale “Rocks” swallows up 81% of the total throw-forward, amounting to Rs. 10,065 billion. In contrast, the 254 projects categorized as “Sand” share a measly 4% slice of the funding pie, totaling just Rs. 84 billion.
| Project Category | Number of Active Projects | Throw-forward Share (Rs. in Billion) | Percentage of Total Backlog PPTX |
| Rocks (> Rs. 7.5 Billion Cost) |
197 | 10,065 | 81% |
| Pebbles (Rs. 1B to Rs. 7.5B Cost) |
335 | 669 | 15% |
| Sand (< Rs. 1 Billion Cost) |
254 | 84 | 4% |
While the N-25 Pakistan Expressway demands an allocation of Rs. 290 billion for the upcoming year, foundational technology initiatives receive fraction of that capital.
Starving Digital Infrastructure
Pakistan cannot build a modern knowledge economy on pennies. The actual capital requirements for high-impact IT and digital development projects reveal deep systemic neglect.
- The IT Park Karachi: Requires Rs. 11.5 billion for development.
- The IT Park Islamabad: Needs Rs. 6.49 billion to progress.
- The Digital Economy Project: Left with a demand of Rs. 6.03 billion.
- Islamabad Technopolis: Allocated a measly Rs. 1.54 billion.
- PM Laptop Scheme: Left with a minor allocation of just Rs. 210 million.
This acute underfunding occurs because the overall federal development envelope is under immense pressure from a systemic Rs. 10.8 trillion development backlog crisis. By dedicating the vast majority of resources to legacy brick-and-mortar projects, the state risks missing out on high-yielding digital export revenues.
