The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday approved the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, with Chief Minister Sohail Afridi describing it as a budget focused on development, prosperity, and public welfare.

Addressing the assembly after the budget's approval, Afridi congratulated Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance and Development, Muzammil Aslam, as well as officials of the Planning and Development (P&D) Department and Finance Department for preparing the budget.

The chief minister expressed confidence that the province would achieve its revenue target of Rs182 billion during the upcoming fiscal year, noting that provincial revenues had increased significantly compared to previous years.

Afridi urged the opposition leader to raise the issue of the province’s share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award with the federal government, arguing that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was being denied its constitutional and legal rights.

He also made a political prediction, saying that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would not be the person to present the next federal budget.

Criticizing the federal government, Afridi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had consistently been subjected to discriminatory treatment. He argued that while Pakistan’s population growth rate stood at 2.2 percent and GDP growth at around 3 percent, economic growth remained insufficient to create adequate employment opportunities.

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The chief minister claimed that the federal government lacked a comprehensive strategy to increase exports and reduce the country’s trade deficit, which he said stood at $36 billion. He also accused the federal government of artificially controlling the value of the dollar and blamed its economic and security policies for worsening conditions in the country.

Referring to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Afridi criticized the federal leadership and reiterated his prediction regarding the next federal budget.

Highlighting development initiatives, the chief minister announced that Rs200 billion had been allocated for the Hazara region. He said the upcoming fiscal year would bring significant investment in law enforcement, with substantial funds earmarked for the police force and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

Afridi said major investments were also being made in the education and health sectors and promised visible improvements in public services. He described the upcoming “Jwandoon Card” as a major welfare initiative and announced that senior citizens up to the age of 60 would be allowed to travel free of charge on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

He said the Swat Expressway and the Kamrat Road project remained among the government's priorities and would be completed to improve connectivity and tourism.

The chief minister emphasized that development funds had been distributed across all districts without discrimination, despite his own political roots in Khyber District. He said special packages had been allocated for Peshawar, Mardan, and Hazara, reflecting the government's commitment to balanced regional development.

Afridi also criticized the federal government over infrastructure projects, claiming that it had neither completed the Northern Bypass Road nor allowed the provincial government to undertake the project. He further said that if given full authority, the provincial government could complete the flood-affected Kalam Road within six months.

The chief minister accused the federal government of reducing allocations for the merged tribal districts and said funding had been cut to Rs27 billion. Nevertheless, he pledged that the provincial government would continue investing its own resources in the tribal areas and the southern districts, which he described as rich in natural resources.

Addressing water shortages, Afridi said the government had introduced several development packages to tackle the issue. He also vowed to proceed with the Lift Canal project using provincial resources if the federal government failed to provide the required funding.

Concluding his speech, Afridi said celebrations over the budget’s passage had been deliberately kept low-key because the government wanted to reserve its celebrations for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan. He alleged that Khan and his family had faced political victimization but insisted that the former prime minister had remained steadfast despite the challenges.

The budget was subsequently passed by the provincial assembly after debate and approval by lawmakers.