• Overall development outlay slashed by 25pc to Rs3.218tr • Federal PSDP reduced to Rs1tr, provincial ADPs to Rs2.218tr • No new projects except for interior, defence ministries • PM says strengthening defence is country’s biggest challenge • Ahsan says Pakistan lagged behind region due to weak investment in education, skills ISLAMABAD: Freezing provincial development plans at their actual utilisation this year, the National Economic Council (NEC) on Wednesday cut the federal and provincial development budget by one-fourth to Rs3.218 trillion for the next fiscal year from Rs4.264tr cleared by the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) last week. Of the Rs1.046tr total cut, the combined annual development plans (ADPs) of the four provinces were slashed by almost one-third (29.3pc) to Rs2.218tr — roughly their actual utilisation so far in the current fiscal year — compared to the Rs3.138tr provincial portfolio finalised by the APCC on June 1. Punjab’s development plan was chopped by almost half, or 49pc, the biggest cut among all stakeholders, while Balochistan remained unaffected and actually secured more.