QUETTA: The Balochistan budget for financial year 2022-23, which was scheduled to be presented in the assembly session on Monday (today), was postponed till Tuesday after sources said the government failed to finalise it as lawmakers demanded development schemes for their areas.

“The Balochistan budget session has been postponed till Tuesday as Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Biznejo is busy with the Balochistan Awami Party council session,” said a message from the CM Secretariat. It has not issued any notification yet.

The resource-rich backward province was all set to present more than Rs580 billion budget today. Like the federal government and other provinces, Balochistan was also expected to give a pay raise to employees.

However, sources said that the provincial government has not so far finalised the outlay for the financial year 2022-23 because of the parliamentarians’ demand for the inclusion of their areas in the development schemes.

Amidst this, apparently, two factions have emerged in the ruling BAP, which was formed in 2018 under the leadership of former Pakistan Muslim League-Q senator Saeed Ahmed Hashmi and Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar.

This happened when Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo, the chief minister, was elected the new party president in intra-party elections held in the assembly in the general council meeting on Sunday. But, former CM Jam Kamal in a statement has rejected the election and claimed to be the incumbent president of the party. He has summoned the party’s general council meeting on August 19.

Sources said the decision to postpone the budget was also taken to win back the lawmakers from the other faction by awarding development projects for their areas. They are expected to meet on Monday (today).

Estimated allocations under budget

• Rs140 billion for developmental schemes
• Non-development budget will be more than Rs380 billion
• 25% of the development budget earmarked for ongoing schemes
• Special grant for local bodies
• No new taxes