ISLAMABAD – As lawmakers from both sides of the aisle shared their input in budgetary proposals, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb in Saturday’s National Assembly sitting claimed that the proposed finance bill 206-27 would provide maximum relief to the all segment of the society in the current resources.
The MNAs from the treasury and opposition have shared their budgetary proposals during the last week. The opposition members were given extra five hours to share their proposals on the federal budget by mainly pointing out insufficient raise in the salaries of government servants.
Concluding the debate on the budget proposal as per the parliamentary tradition, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb said the present government has given tax relief to the salaries class by increasing pay and pension. It has introduced measures to facilities the process of obtaining pensions besides abolishing taxes on sanitary pads, contraceptives and reducing taxes on medicines.
The Minister, in his one and half hour long speech, unexpectedly faced no interruption by the opposition benches that has often seen in the past practices. “The budgetary proposals set the foundation to accelerate sustainable growth seen in past 2 years,” claimed the minister, in his speech, mentioning that the federal budget has a positive and pro-growth proposals in all the sectors with an aim to accelerate the sustainable growth. As the argument often framed against the government for putting tax burden on masses, Aurangzeb shared with the house that this government has changes this trend in this budget. The main focus in the proposals remained broadening the reforms instead of putting extra burden over the masses. “Initiatives have been taken to introduce maximum relief to the masses, which will create a positive impact in the future,” he said, mentioning the concessional loans for importers, reforms in agriculture and other sectors. Minister said this government has planned to introduce a new tax operating model in continuation of these reforms. He said the purpose of introducing the reforms is to bring positive change in the life of people. About the opposition’s criticism of FBR’s performance, he said that the treasury benches have listened to all the proposals and criticism. The introduced budget proposals will bring positive change. He said an additional $14bn was collected in revenue from 1988 to 2011. About agriculture reforms, he said that the Zarkhez scheme had been initiated, under which interest-free loans were being provided to small-scale farmers. He appreciated the National Assembly for saving Rs 5 billion and the Senate for one billion by taking austerity measures. Aurangzeb thanked the lawmakers for participating in the budget debate, specifically Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai, as well as Saleem Mandviwala and Naveed Qamar, who head the standing committees on finance for the Senate and NA, respectively. About the importance of national consensus, he asked all stakeholders to continue their cooperation for the country’s economic development. Earlier, the chair informed the House that over fifty-three hours of discussion has been held on the Federal Budget 2026–27. The house also discussed 140 recommendations proposed by the Senate on the budget.
