Finance Minister Wraps Up National Assembly Debate
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has rejected opposition objections to the federal budget, saying claims of discrepancies were based on an incorrect reading of data.
He made the remarks while winding up the budget debate in the National Assembly on Saturday.
Aurangzeb said the government had presented GDP figures and other key economic indicators before the National Accounts Committee. He said the committee includes representatives from all provinces, the federal government, and relevant institutions.
The finance minister said some lawmakers had raised reservations during the debate. However, he insisted that the overall budget process remained transparent.
He thanked members of parliament for taking part in the discussion. He also acknowledged Opposition Leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai and finance committee heads Saleem Mandviwala and Naveed Qamar.
Proposals to Be Added to Finance Bill
Aurangzeb said standing committees had reviewed budget proposals with seriousness and sincerity.
He said several recommendations had been forwarded for improvement. Some of these proposals will be incorporated into the Finance Bill 2026.
The finance minister said the government wanted to strengthen the budget through parliamentary input.
He also presented a positive picture of the economy.
According to Aurangzeb, industries are operating smoothly. He said the current account is in surplus and export performance is improving.
He added that IT exports have increased by 20 percent.
Growth Target Set at 4 Percent
The finance minister said the government had collected $14 billion in additional revenue over the past two years. He called it a record achievement since 1988.
He also highlighted the agriculture sector and described it as the backbone of the economy.
Aurangzeb said the government is providing Rs300 billion in interest-free loans to small farmers. Around 750,000 small farmers are expected to benefit from the programme.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had set the direction for economic stability in the previous budget.
The federal budget for fiscal year 2026-27 has a total outlay of Rs18.771 trillion.
The largest allocation is Rs8.054 trillion for mark-up payments. Defence has been allocated Rs3 trillion, while Rs1 trillion has been set aside for the federal development programme.
The government has set the economic growth target at 4 percent for the next fiscal year. Average inflation is projected at 8.2 percent.
