Khawaja Asif says defence budget not finalised yet

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday asserted that the federal government has not yet finalised the Defence Budget for next financial year 2023-24, ARY News reported.

In an informal conversation with journalists outside Parliament House, the federal minister said that consultation on the defense budget for next financial year was underway as the government has not finalised it.

Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the allocations will be made precisely in all sectors in the upcoming budget to cut additional expenditures.

He noted that the government were taking measures to provide targeted subsidies to the inflation-hit nation in the budget, voicing against direct subsidies.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Budget 2023-24 would be presented on 9th June in the National Assembly after approval by the federal cabinet.

The economic team made these remarks while briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about preparation of the budget for financial year 2023-24.

The PM was briefed about revised estimates of revenue and expenditures and target estimates for the next year. “The economy has been on a positive trajectory toward financial stability and decrease in deficit,” the meeting was informed.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that all available resources should be used to reduce the financial difficulties and provide relief to the middle class.