Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday announced his party’s support for the federal budget after the government accepted “all major demands” put forward by the PPP during negotiations.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Mr Bhutto said his party was satisfied with the government's response to its proposals and would therefore vote in favour of the budget.
“We are happy to support this budget because our demands have been accepted,” he said, expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for accommodating the PPP’s input.
Among the key concessions secured by the party was a 20 per cent increase in allocations for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) — a flagship initiative launched during the PPP’s previous tenure.
“The BISP amount was reduced during the PTI era, but we insisted that support for the poorest segments of society be enhanced,” the PPP chairman said.
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Bilawal also welcomed the reduction of tax on solar panels by 50 per cent, stating that the move would make renewable energy more accessible to households and small businesses.
“All our demands related to solar were accepted, which is a positive step,” he noted.
Another significant demand raised by the PPP involved limiting the powers of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to arrest individuals over tax-related matters.
Mr Bhutto said the government had agreed to declare such arrests as bailable, addressing concerns over potential misuse of authority. “We opposed the arrest powers being handed to the FBR, and the government accepted our objection,” he said.
He added that tax relief for the salaried class was also incorporated into the budget following recommendations made by his party.
“This is a budget that includes our input,” the former foreign minister reiterated, adding that the PPP’s decision to support the government reflected a commitment to cooperation for the sake of economic stability and public welfare.
The announcement from the PPP comes as a significant boost for the ruling coalition, which has faced criticism over proposed tax measures and economic reforms under tough IMF-driven fiscal constraints.
Earlier this week, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also pointed out that the province’s development budget was “significantly higher” than that of other provinces, signalling PPP’s continued focus on provincial uplift alongside federal engagement.
