National Assembly passes budget 2025-26, rejecting opposition proposals

Pakistan

The passage of the Finance Bill is the final and mandatory step in the federal budget process.

Topline
  • Total outlay of the budget is Rs17,573 billion

  • PPP supported budget 2025-26 because govt accepted all their demands

  • Passage of Finance Bill is final and mandatory step in federal budget process

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ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The National Assembly on Thursday approved the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, amounting to Rs17,573 billion, rejecting all cut motions presented by the Opposition.

Passed by a majority vote during the budget session, the Finance Bill 2025 marks a major step in the government’s economic planning for the upcoming year.

Following the budget approval, the National Assembly session has been adjourned until 11:00am tomorrow (Friday).

 The clause-wise approval process of the federal budget 2025-26 was commenced in the National Assembly, with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair. Finance Minister Aurangzeb presented motions for the approval of the Finance Bill in the assembly while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also present in the House.

Read alsoPPP supported budget 2025-26 after all demands accepted, says Bilawal

Several amendments were proposed by Opposition benches, with Mubeen Arif and Aaliya Kamran urging that public opinion be sought on the bill and that it be delayed until such input is received – their proposal was rejected.

Also, an opposition amendment – seeking to postpone the bill’s approval and refer it for public opinion – was rejected by a majority vote.

As the Finance Bill has been passed, it enables the government to implement its financial agenda for the new fiscal year starting July 1.

Earlier, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari declared that his party supported the federal budget 2025-26 because the government accepted all their demands.

During the National Assembly session on Thursday, Bilawal said that the government has announced 20 percent increase in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and therefore PPP is happily supporting the budget.

He criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying the party always attempted to reduce funding for the BISP in every budget. On the other hand, Bilawal said, "Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif increased the BISP allocation in every budget."

Bilawal added that tax relief has been provided to the salaried class and the government has reduced the solar tax by 50pc on PPP's recommendation.