Lawmakers call for providing relief to masses
ISLAMABAD: Law-makers in the son Saturday delivered a detailed and constructive review of the federal budget for FY2025-26 and called for providing more relief to the common man.
While participating in the general discussion on Budget 2025-26, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Mirza Ikhtiar Baig emphasized the pivotal role of the industry, agriculture and services sector in driving long-term economic stability.
Acknowledging the ongoing economic challenges, he said the government's push toward reforms, though modest GDP growth of 2.6% continues to be overshadowed by inflation, population pressure and mounting national debt.
He raised concern over pension reforms, particularly the withdrawal of posthumous benefits for pensioners' children after 10 years, warning this could create financial distress for many families. The lawmaker also cautioned against harsh tax enforcement measures, such as granting arrest powers to income tax officers, which he said could dampen business confidence.
However, he welcomed incentives in the construction and property sectors, including the reduction in withholding tax on property transactions from 4% to 2.5%, elimination of federal excise duty on commercial property transfers and reduction of stamp duty in Islamabad from 4% to 1%—measures expected to boost real estate activity.
He also supported the increased defense budget, recognizing the valor and international standing of Pakistan's armed forces, particularly in light of recent hostilities.
Mirza Ikhtiar praised the record-breaking $38 billion in remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis and called for an export-led growth model, especially through sectors like IT and rice. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Asad Qaiser urged the government to revisit its decision to impose new taxes in the erstwhile FATA region, emphasizing the area's sacrifices in the war on terror.
Asad Qaiser warned that further burdens could hinder socio-economic rehabilitation.
He also highlighted issues of power outages and damage to household appliances in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to erratic electricity supply, urging greater PSDP allocations for the province.
Asad Qaiser raised alarms about the tobacco sector, noting the lack of a fixed minimum support price, which is driving companies out of KP. He called for urgent government intervention to protect farmers.
Senior MQM leader Dr. Farooq Sattar hailed the armed forces for their resilience during recent Pakistan-India tensions, crediting divine help and national unity under Field Marshal General Asim Munir.
He appreciated relief measures for salaried classes in the budget but warned that the middle class continues to bear a disproportionate tax burden.
Farooq Sattar urged reforms to reduce electricity and gas tariffs and proposed a national economic dialogue to adopt a unified 'Charter of Economy.'
He stressed the importance of taxing agricultural income through provincial consensus under Article 177 to improve Pakistan's fiscal credibility with international lenders. Condemning Israeli aggression, he reaffirmed solidarity with Iran amid recent tensions.
PPP stalwart Syed Naveed Qamar took a strategic view, asserting that the federal budget must not be limited to a balance sheet but should reflect a coherent economic vision.
He stressed that budgetary allocations must align with policy goals rather than serve as mere political optics.
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