Islamabad:
Senators on Wednesday called the federal budget for the financial year 2025-26 a critical step towards economic stabilization, national resilience, public relief and called for further measures to support low-income groups, promote pure energy and address regional differences.
While participating in the general discussion of budget 2025-26, Senator Shahzaib Durrani characterized the federal budget for the financial year 2025-26, it called as a reflection of the government’s obligation to stabilize the economy, give citizens relief and strengthen the nation’s independence.
Senator Danesh Kumar expressed concern about Pakistan’s growing debt burden, added that 50 percent of the national budget is consumed by interest payments, primarily to serve existing loans through further borrowing.
“The IMF loans are not a grant; we borrow to repay previous loans, which is not a sustainable solution,” he added.
Senator Pervaiz Rashid referred to the federal budget for the financial year 2025-26 balanced and pragmatic, adding that the budget offered relief to the ordinary man and was well received by the financial markets.
Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zia Khan emphasized the need to retain the Roosevelt hotel as a national asset, the government urged to protect it from privatization.
She expressed dissatisfaction with the 10 percent increase in government employees’ wages and a seven percent increase in pensions, calling the increase inadequate in light of ongoing financial difficulties and called for a review of the decision to give greater relief to the public sector workforce and pensioners.
She said that uncontrolled wood cutting contributes to rising temperatures and environmental degradation.
Senator Palwasha also opposed the introduction of an 18 percent tax on solar panels and said such measures could prevent Pakistan’s transition to pure energy. “The country is moving rapidly towards solar energy and this taxation will deter this shift,” she added.
