The federal government is expected to present the upcoming budget on June 12, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry announced in a post on X on Monday.
According to the minister, preparations for the budget session are underway, and official summaries have been sent for the convening of both houses of Parliament. He stated that the National Assembly session has been proposed for June 10 at 5pm, while a separate summary has also been submitted for a Senate session scheduled for the same day at 4pm.
Earlier reports had suggested that the budget would be presented on June 5. However, the date was later revised, with indications that it could be moved to June 10 or June 12 following delays in the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.
The matter was further discussed at the highest level during a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, held on Monday. This came after the government postponed the NEC meeting for the third time, which is responsible for approving development plans and the national macroeconomic framework.
The federal budget is being prepared under Pakistan’s ongoing $7 billion IMF Extended Fund Facility, along with a separate climate resilience financing programme. Authorities are reportedly considering adjustments in fiscal arrangements, including proposed changes related to provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.
The International Monetary Fund continues to stress fiscal discipline and structural reforms aimed at improving macroeconomic stability and strengthening external reserves. At the same time, the budget process is taking place amid regional tensions linked to the US-Iran situation, which has raised concerns over energy prices and import costs.
Once presented in the National Assembly, the budget will be debated by both government and opposition members before being voted on and approved ahead of the new fiscal year starting on July 1.
