On 8 September, the PTI government scaled-down spending on the federal development program to Rs. 775 billion from Rs. 1,030 billion, under the 2018–19 Pakistan federal budget. The Planning Commission released Rs.35 billion for development projects, which was around 75% less than the same period last year, Rs. 135 billion. The cuts were due to several "non-development projects" of the previous PML-N government under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) facing the axe, as well as projects of governments before it, which had all been moved out of the PSDP. An official said the government would spend part of the savings on water sector projects, and also incorporate some of its own critical, priority projects under the spending regime. The progress of CPEC projects, including the Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan and the structuring of industrial zones, were also reviewed.
