ISLAMABAD – Budget 2026-27 is being presented in National Assembly on Friday in charged political atmosphere, as the session began after a two-hour delay and was marked by opposition uproar and heated coalition tensions.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq presided over the session and directed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to present the budget amid loud protests from opposition lawmakers, turning the house into a scene of political confrontation.
In his opening speech, the finance minister thanked coalition partners, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and claimed that Pakistan’s international standing had strengthened, linking it to the country’s response during tensions with India in May 2025 and institutional preparedness.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s attendance became a major talking point after earlier uncertainty over whether he would participate. The PPP had initially suggested limited engagement, even indicating he might skip the session, before later clarifying it was not boycotting the budget process.
His presence followed a series of back-channel political contacts between PPP and senior government leaders, helping ease tensions ahead of the budget presentation.
Before the budget speech, PPP lawmakers led by Shazia Marri staged a protest inside the National Assembly, raising slogans over what they called an “unfair reduction” in Sindh’s water share. Protesters displayed placards highlighting severe water shortages in the province and briefly surrounded the Speaker’s dais, creating uproar in the house.
Marri later told reporters that the PPP would maintain only “token participation” in the budget session, accusing the federal government of ignoring key political and regional concerns, including water distribution issues in Sindh and Balochistan, as well as matters related to Gilgit-Baltistan elections and the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Despite tensions, the federal cabinet had already approved the budget proposals in a meeting at Parliament House. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also met MQM-P leaders earlier in the day, praising them as a “key coalition partner” and appreciating their role in economic stability and governance.
The budget presentation unfolded against a backdrop of coalition negotiations, protest politics, and internal differences within the ruling alliance, making it one of the most politically charged budget sessions in recent years.
MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW…
About the Author
