The Federal Government will present today a budget of approximately RS17,600 billion for fiscal year 2025–26 in the National Assembly. Before the announcement of the budget, a special meeting of the federal cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shehnaz Sharif at 4 PM, will approve the draft of the budget, as well as increases proposed in the salaries and pensions of government employees. Together with these increases, there is also the possibility of tax relief for salaried employees. According to the sources, the preparations for the budget session have been completed, and the official schedule has been published. The president of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, has called an advisory meeting of parliamentary leaders before the NA session that will begin at 5 PM according to the official notification, the meeting chaired by the speaker will determine the strategy for the budget session, including the duration of the debates on the budget and related issues. The budget is expected to be presented today (June 10), will be approved on June 26 and 27. Federal Minister of Finance Muhammad Aurengzeb will present the budget at the National Assembly. The Sadiq speaker has also approved the schedule for the budget session, according to which there will be no assembly sessions on June 11 and 12 and the debate on the federal budget will begin on June 13 and continue until June 21. The Minister of Finance, Aurengzeb, will conclude the budget debate on June 21. On June 23, the Assembly will discuss the essential expenses assigned by 2025-26. On June 24 and June 25, there will be debate and vote of demands for subsidies and cutting motions. The Finance Bill will be approved on June 26, and on June 27, there will be more debate and vote on complementary subsidies and other issues. For next fiscal year, the current account deficit is projected at -0.5% of GDP, or around $ 2.1 billion. The export objective has been established at $ 35.3b, while imports are expected to reach $ 65.2 billion. In the service sector, exports are aimed at $ 9.6 billion and imports at $ 14 billion. The Government also aims to receive $ 39.4 billion in remittances, which raises the combined objective for exports of goods and services to $ 44.9 billion, and for imports to $ 79.2 billion. The proposed average inflation objective is 7.5%, while GDP growth is aimed at 4.2%. Sector objectives include a 4.5% growth in agriculture, 4.3% in the industry and 4% in the services sector. The budget establishes objectives for gross investment at 14.7%of GDP, fixed investment to 13%, public investment at 3.2%and 9.8%private investment. It is projected that national savings will reach 14.3% of GDP. Other specific growth projections of the sector include 6.7% for main crops, 3.5% for other crops, 7% for cotton ginning, 4.2% for cattle, 3.5% for silviculture and 3% for fishing.
