Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb officially launched the Economic Survey of Pakistan for the fiscal year 2024–25 today, marking a key moment ahead of the federal budget.
This annual document provides a detailed review of the country’s economic performance, highlighting progress, setbacks, and targets in various sectors over the past year.
The Economic Survey is a vital resource that helps shape policy and public debate. It covers areas such as agriculture, industry, services, education, health, energy, and climate change. This year’s survey, as explained by Aurangzeb, gives a broad overview of how Pakistan’s economic indicators have evolved, helping prepare the groundwork for future planning.
According to the finance ministry, the Economic Survey offers updated figures on inflation, GDP growth, trade, employment, public debt, and remittances. Notably, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for 2024–25 has been recorded at 2.7%, with a target of 4.2% for the next year.
One of the major highlights includes a significant 30.9% rise in remittances between July 2024 and April 2025. For the first time in recent history, Pakistan’s current account balance stayed in surplus during this period. These trends, according to Aurangzeb, point to encouraging signs of economic stability and recovery.
The survey also revealed a reduction in the fiscal deficit to 2.6% of GDP and a primary balance surplus of 3%, reflecting tighter fiscal discipline. Additionally, the policy interest rate was lowered to 11% thanks to improved economic fundamentals, while credit to the private sector surged, with Rs681 billion in loans disbursed.
Agriculture emerged as a strong contributor, boosting national reserves and driving economic growth. The government is now crafting a new plan to ensure continuous improvement in agricultural productivity, which Aurangzeb said is crucial for long-term economic sustainability.
In terms of development, the Annual National Development Programme (ANDP) has an approved outlay of Rs3,483 billion. Out of this, Rs1,100 billion will fund federal projects, while Rs2,383 billion will support provincial development.
Overall, the Economic Survey 2024–25 is expected to guide Pakistan’s upcoming budget and broader economic strategy. Finance Minister Aurangzeb emphasized that with stronger fundamentals and unified federal-provincial efforts, the country is moving firmly toward economic recovery and inclusive growth.