Federal and provincial governments saved a combined Rs 188.57 billion in the first phase of an austerity campaign launched against the backdrop of the Iran-US war and heightened tensions in the Middle East, according to a Finance Ministry document.
The savings were recorded between March 9 and June 19. The federal government accounted for Rs 127 billion of the total through a 50 percent cut in fuel allocations, while state institutions and other government sectors contributed a further Rs 100 billion in savings.
Among the provinces, Punjab recorded the largest savings at Rs 26.41 billion, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Rs 4.52 billion and Balochistan with Rs 2.57 billion. Sindh saved Rs 810 million, while Gilgit-Baltistan saved Rs 990 million.
The document states that the bulk of the funds generated through the austerity measures was directed toward public relief, with Rs 145.78 billion allocated for this purpose. The relief package included one month of free travel on government buses and a fuel subsidy for motorcycles and other transport.
Of the total savings, Rs 22.27 billion was returned to the provinces. After accounting for all payments and refunds, a balance of Rs 20.49 billion was recorded.
