Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Advisor Criticizes Federal Cuts to Higher Education Budget

Peshawar, Muzamil Aslam, the Finance Advisor for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has sharply criticized the federal government’s recent budgetary decisions, highlighting significant cuts to the Higher Education Commission’s funding, which has been reduced from 83 billion rupees to 32 billion rupees. Additionally, the development budget for the social sector has seen a drastic reduction from 203 billion rupees to 83 billion rupees.

According to Directorate General Information and PRs – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Aslam expressed concerns over the negative impact of these cuts on higher education and the future of university students in Pakistan. He rebuked Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal for his inconsistency, noting that despite public assurances on the importance of education, the actual allocations tell a different story. Aslam warned that the reduced funding could lead universities to financial insolvency and students to miss educational opportunities. He urged universities to urgently reassess their financial strategies in response to these cuts.