Pakistan Unveils Rs17.57 Trillion Budget Amid Opposition Uproar

Pakistan Unveils Rs17.57 Trillion Budget Amid Opposition Uproar

Yesterday, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the Rs 17.573 trillion Budget for 2025-26 in the National Assembly.

The finance minister congratulated Pakistan’s military and political leadership, highlighting the country’s exceptional success against its enemies. “Our armed forces displayed extraordinary capability and responded to threats with full strength,” he said.

He stated this was the coalition government’s second budget and highlighted the government’s success in achieving a primary surplus of 2.4 percent of GDP. Inflation, he noted, had also significantly decreased to 4.7 percent due to timely policy measures.

Opposition protests during the Budget 2025-26 session

The session was marred by loud protests from opposition parties, including PTI and members of the Sunni Ittehad Council. They rejected what they called an IMF-backed budget and accused the government of lacking the mandate to present it.

Chaos ensued in the House as opposition lawmakers tore up budget documents and shouted slogans. During the disturbance, PML-N legislators gathered near Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was seen meeting with several party members.