Budget 2025-26: Bilawal directs PPP lawmakers to vote in favour of Finance Bill

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in its parliamentary party meeting decided to support the budget 2025-26, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The meeting of the PPP Parliamentary party was held under the chairmanship of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Islamabad.

Briefing the media after the PPP Parliamentary party meeting, Shazia Marri confirmed that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has directed all members to vote in favor of the Finance Bill 2025-26, as the federal government has addressed the party’s major concerns.

She noted that the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) budget has been increased by 20% following PPP’s demand.

Additionally, the proposed 18% tax on solar panels was strongly opposed by Bilawal Bhutto and has now been reduced by 50%.

Other significant revisions achieved through PPP’s negotiations include a 10% increase in salaries and a 7% rise in pensions. Moreover, the new tax slab exempts salaries up to Rs100,000 per month from any taxation.

Shazia Marri also stated that the budget for universities in Sindh has been restored, and PPP’s concerns regarding amendments in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) laws have been addressed.

Earlier, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that enduring changes in the agriculture sector will significantly enhance the nation’s economy.

PM Shehbaz presided over a review session in Islamabad on Wednesday focusing on the advancement of the agriculture sector. The prime minister emphasized that agriculture forms the foundation of the country’s economy and improvements in this area will markedly boost per-acre yields, thereby lowering production expenses.