Islamabad, May 18, 2026(Kamran Raja): A review meeting on the current year’s development budget and proposed projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the upcoming fiscal year was held today in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. The Prime Minister directed that ministries demonstrating better performance would be given priority allocation of funds for development projects. He emphasized that public money would only be invested in projects with assured and tangible outcomes. The Prime Minister stated that water reservoirs and hydropower projects remain among the government’s top priorities for development spending. He further directed that projects aimed at increasing water storage capacity should receive special priority.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister appreciated Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for the successful issuance and positive market reception of Panda Bonds. He also praised the performance of the Ministries of Railways, Information Technology, and Power. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to maximize public-private partnership initiatives in development projects to improve efficiency and investment. The meeting was briefed on the progress of the current PSDP, proposed development projects for the next fiscal year, and the funding requirements for these initiatives. Participants were also informed about the progress on nationally important water storage and hydropower projects, including Dasu Dam, Diamer-Bhasha Dam, and Mohmand Dam. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Hanif Abbasi, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari, Mian Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, Abdul Aleem Khan, Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, and senior officials concerned.