ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party has assured the federal government led by PML-N of its support in passing the federal budget, said sources after the top leadership of the two main ruling allies held a meeting in Islamabad on Monday.
A high-level consultative meeting was held between a PPP delegation led by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, wherein key budgetary and political matters were discussed, as per insiders.
PM Shehbaz was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Adviser to PM on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and members of the party’s budget committee also attended the meeting alongside President Zardari.
The other attendees of the meeting include PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman, MNA Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, Senator Ahad Cheema, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) PM Raja Faisal Rathore, and MNA Raja Pervez Ashraf.
The sources said both sides reached broad agreement on most federal budget proposals, while technical committees will continue consultations on a few remaining workable points to finalise the fiscal framework.
Discussing budget proposals and public relief measures, President Zardari stressed the need to prioritise public welfare, provincial rights, and economic stability in the upcoming federal budget, the President’s House Secretariat said in a statement.
He also directed that every effort be made to align economic growth with public welfare schemes in the next budget.
The federal government had announced that the budget for fiscal year 2026–27 will now be presented on June 10, after being rescheduled from June 5 due to objections raised by coalition partners.
The delay followed opposition from allies over certain proposed amendments, as the government sought to complete key legislation ahead of the budget session, parliamentary sources told media last week.
The sources further said the proposed laws carry significant implications for the upcoming budget, which faced reservations from the PPP, a key coalition partner.
To resolve the deadlock, senior political figures were tasked with engaging the PPP leadership, according to sources.
They added that another coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has also tied its support to certain conditions for the federal budget, with leader Farooq Sattar linking approval to the reappointment of Kamran Tessori as governor of Sindh.
Last week, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told media that the government was actively working to build consensus among coalition partners, describing ongoing discussions as “positive”.
He said the budget process was being carried out in coordination with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), allied parties, and other stakeholders, with a focus on improving tax administration through enforcement measures and widening the tax base.
He further said efforts were underway to ensure that no new taxes are imposed, as the government seeks to balance fiscal consolidation with political consensus and economic stability.
Possible change in presentation date
The government is considering changing the announced date for the federal budget 2026–27, with consultations underway to postpone its presentation from June 10 to 12, sources told media, adding that a final decision on the revised schedule is expected within the next one to two days.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said several budget matters remain pending as talks on the federal budget 2026-27 continue amid limited time and the upcoming Islamic month of Muharram, noting process ongoing with possible post-presentation adjustments.
He added that it remains unclear how arrangements can be managed on the current date, and said he could not confirm whether the budget schedule would change or what final decision would be taken. –Agencies
