In a surprising move that contradicts earlier promises to prioritize the tech sector, the federal government has decided to cut the development budget of the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication by 43 percent for the fiscal year 2025-26.

Budget documents reveal that the proposed development allocation for the IT Ministry is set at Rs. 13.52 billion, a sharp decrease from last year’s Rs. 23.92 billion, marking a reduction of Rs. 10.4 billion.

Of the new allocation, Rs. 3.64 billion will be provided through domestic resources, while the remaining Rs. 9.88 billion is expected to come from external funding.