Upcoming budget is projected at Rs17.6 trillion

Islamabad: Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is delivering budget speech for the fiscal year 2025-26 in the National Assembly, targeting a modest 4.2 per cent growth for the coming fiscal year, compared to 2.7pc expected in the outgoing FY25.
National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq is chairing the budget session.
As soon as the session began after the arrival of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, members from opposition benches started chanting slogans.
The budget was announced with a total outlay of Rs17.6 trillion, down 7 per cent or Rs1.3 trillion as compared to the Rs18.9 trillion budgeted outlay of FY25.
The CPI inflation rate is budgeted to be around 7.5pc in FY26, whereas the budget deficit is expected to be around 3.9pc of the GDP, while the primary surplus is budgeted at 2.4pc of the GDP.
The finaance minister said that Pakistan has now achieved economic stability and was “moving towards a Pakistan that is prosperous”. He claimed that the government had not given any mini budget and no new tax was imposed.
Aurangzeb noted that Pakistan's prestige has risen in the international community, while emphasising the government's renewed focus on economic development through national unity and determination.
The minister highlighted the current account surplus, remittances and the stability of the rupee while also mentioning the positive reports from international credit rating agencies Moody’s and Fitch that upgraded Pakistan’s rating.
Talking about the outgoing fiscal, the minister said that the country achieved a surplus of around 2.4% of the GDP in FY25, whereas the CPI rate declined to 4.7%.
Later, the finance minister will lay a copy of the Finance Bill 2025-26, including the Annual Budget Statement, before the Senate for further consideration.

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