ISLAMABAD, Oct 17: Pakistan’s Planning Ministry has estimated that the recent floods inflicted losses worth Rs822 billion (approximately $2.9 billion) across the country, causing widespread devastation and claiming over 1,000 lives, according to Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal.
Speaking at the launch of the Planning Ministry’s Monthly Development Update and the Initial Damage Assessment Report, Iqbal said the government has started releasing monthly performance reports to ensure transparency and accountability.
He revealed that the agriculture sector suffered the most, with losses estimated at Rs430 billion, while infrastructure damage was valued at Rs307 billion.
According to the report, Punjab recorded damage to over 213,000 houses, Balochistan over 6,000, Sindh 3,332, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa more than 3,200 homes. In Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, over 3,600 houses were affected. More than 2,267 schools were damaged, and 0.6 to 1.2 million tonnes of rice crops were destroyed.
On the economic front, Iqbal said inflation dropped from 9.2% to 4.2% in the first quarter of the ongoing fiscal year, while tax collection increased by 12.5%, reaching Rs2.884 trillion compared to Rs2.563 trillion a year earlier.
He added that private sector and bank credit expanded by 16%, indicating business growth, while remittances rose by 8.5%, reflecting renewed confidence among overseas Pakistanis.
Highlighting future plans, the minister announced that 2026 will be observed as the “Year of Reforms and Modernisation of the Economy,” aimed at eliminating red tape, improving governance, and creating a business-friendly environment.
Under the Uraan Pakistan framework, Iqbal said the government plans to transform Pakistan into a $1-trillion economy by 2035, focusing on structural reforms and sustainable growth.
He also noted recent diplomatic progress, including renewed engagement with the United States after the Gaza ceasefire and advancing economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia.
