GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government on Tuesday presented a three-month delayed budget of Rs218.845 billion for fiscal year 2026-27, with a deficit of over Rs52bn, seeking additional funds from the federal government to meet various liabilities. It may be mentioned here that in July, the GB government had presented a Rs20.478bn interim budget for the first quarter of FY27 and announced that the full-year budget would be presented after three months. Senior Minister Mohammad Ali Akhtar, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget in the GB Assembly on Tuesday, presided over by Speaker Imran Nadeem. He told the house that the elected government had assumed office at the end of June 2026. “Since only a very limited amount of time was available between the end of the financial year and the beginning of the new financial year, the government had to ensure continuity of governmental affairs and the timely provision of essential expenditures.” Therefore, he said, a three-month interim budget for the initial three months of FY27 was presented on the basis of the previous financial year. “At that time, our government clearly preferred to take the necessary time rathe
