ISLAMABAD: The Finance Ministry has issued a clarification regarding recent reports on civil government expenditure. It said the figures were presented without full context, leading to a misleading impression of federal spending trends.
In its official statement, the Finance Ministry explained that the rise in expenditure is mainly linked to salary adjustments announced in the federal budget. It also included funding for key public health programs.
Officials said these factors must be considered when reviewing overall spending patterns. They emphasized that raw figures alone do not reflect the full picture.
According to the Finance Ministry, civil government expenditure during the first nine months of FY2024-25 stood at Rs. 559 billion. This included Rs. 388 billion in employee-related costs and Rs. 171 billion in non-employee spending.
For the same period in FY2025-26, total expenditure increased to Rs. 629 billion. The Finance Ministry stated that this included Rs. 427 billion in employee-related expenses and Rs. 202 billion in non-employee costs.
This reflects an overall increase of 12.5 percent compared to the previous year.
The Finance Ministry noted that employee-related spending rose by around 10 percent. It said this increase was mainly due to salary and pay revisions introduced in the federal budget.
Officials further explained that non-employee expenditure increased by Rs. 31 billion during the period.
However, the Finance Ministry clarified that Rs. 29 billion of this increase was allocated to the Expanded Programme on Immunization. This program focuses on protecting children from preventable diseases across the country.
After adjusting for this allocation, the actual rise in non-employee spending was only about Rs. 2 billion.
The Finance Ministry stressed that such welfare-related expenditures should be clearly identified when analyzing financial data. It said excluding these factors can lead to incorrect interpretations of government spending.
Officials added that presenting incomplete figures may distort the understanding of fiscal performance. They urged analysts and media outlets to consider full breakdowns before drawing conclusions.
The Finance Ministry reiterated its commitment to transparency in financial reporting. It said accurate context is essential for understanding budget trends and public sector spending.
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The statement comes as the government continues to monitor expenditure patterns and ensure efficient allocation of public resources across key sectors, including health and administration.
