PPP to ‘skip’ budget 2024-25 session

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided not to attend the National Assembly (NA) session, wherein the Budget 2024-25 will be tabled by the PML-N-led federal government, ARY News reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

Sources told ARY News that the decision was taken during the PPP’s parliamentary party meeting, which was headed by party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

During the meeting, the PPP’s members of the National Assembly (MNA) opined against attending the budget session.

Meanwhile, PPP’s senior leader Khursheed Shah confirmed that his party will not participate in the budget session, citing lack of trust in the government.

Shah noted that only a few party members might attend the session, but the party as a whole will not participate. He expressed disappointment over unfulfilled promises regarding salaries and farmers’ issues.

He warned that both the government and the opposition will suffer equally if the budget is passed without their input. He urged the government to consider their demands to avoid this outcome.

The Bilawal Bhutto-led party had expressed severe reservations over the lack of consultation by the federal government on budget 2024-25 scheduled to be presented today.

Addressing a presser after the PPP’s parliamentary meeting presided over by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNA Shazia Marri said that they discussed the federal budget as the members, mainly from Punjab, expressed reservations over the federal government’s behavior.

“The PPP had not been taken on board regarding the budget and the party’s concerns are not addressed.

Shazia Marri said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led federal government had not fulfilled its commitments, despite agreements with the PPP on various issues.

The PML-N led federal government will present its first growth-oriented budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, with an estimated outlay of over Rs18 trillion.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb will present the budget on the National Assembly floor.

“The budget will be aimed at mitigating the people’s sufferings, transforming the agriculture sector, promoting information technology (IT), and boosting exports,” the government sources said