ZHOB: The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has highlighted persistent gaps in budget transparency, public participation and accountability in Pakistan, according to its State of Budget Transparency Report 2025 shared during a media briefing organised by AWARE Balochistan.
The report, focusing on FY2024-25, found that key budget documents are not consistently made public and citizens have limited opportunities to influence budget priorities. “Budgets are still not truly public in Pakistan. People are informed after decisions are made, rather than being part of the process,” representatives of AWARE Balochistan said.
It noted that while budgets are generally presented on time, parliamentary oversight remains weak due to limited debate and scrutiny. Transparency further declines during implementation as governments often fail to release timely spending and audit reports.
The findings showed that Punjab performed relatively better in budget transparency, followed by the federal government, while Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan lagged behind, with overall standards remaining below acceptable levels.
CPDI, through its Citizen Network for Budget Accountability, called for timely disclosure of budget information, greater public participation and stronger accountability mechanisms to improve governance and public trust.
