President urges effective relief measures for salaried class, underprivileged segments

• Premier briefs president about his UAE visit.
• Shared key features of federal budget 2025-26.
• President highlights need for employment generation.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday urged the federal government to take effective measures in the federal budget to alleviate the financial burden on the salaried class, pensioners, labourers, and other underprivileged segments of society who are facing challenges.

President Zardari emphasised the steps while meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who met him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr today.

The meeting discussed the prevailing political and economic situation in the country, the President's Secretariat said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla were also present during the meeting.

The premier briefed the president on his recent official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and also shared key features of the federal budget.

President Zardari emphasised that the federal budget should prioritise the welfare and uplift of the common man, particularly workers and low-income groups.

The president highlighted the need for employment generation and social protection initiatives to support the poor and vulnerable sections of the population.

Last week, Minister for Finance and Revenue Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the budget for the upcoming fiscal year with a total outlay of Rs17.57 trillion, setting a 4.2% GDP growth target and announcing relief measures for the salaried class, while overall federal expenditure was slashed by 7%.

It projected a deficit of 3.9% of GDP against the 5.9% target for 2024-25. Inflation was projected at 7.5% and growth at 4.2%.

However, the main coalition partner of the incumbent government, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), expressed concerns over the financial decisions taken by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the federal budget.

A day ago, PPP leader and former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf expressed reservations over the budget, saying that his party is a coalition partner of the incumbent government, but it has some reservations and recommendations.

He added that the Bilawal Bhutto-led party's parliamentary committee held a session in which recommendations were presented and participants expressed concerns on some issues.

"MNAs from Sindh and Punjab also have reservations," said the PPP lawmaker, adding that they would discuss the points of concern with the government.

Furthermore, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah also sharply criticised the federal government for what he described as repeated neglect of the province's development needs, warning that "funding and political support cannot be taken for granted".

Shah said the Centre had gone too far by dismantling the Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), a move he called "unjust" and damaging to local infrastructure planning.

"We are not a colony," he said while speaking in Karachi last week, urging Islamabad to treat Sindh with the respect it deserves within the federation.

"If the projects don't come to Sindh, then go ahead and pass your budget without us," Shah added, reiterating that the province wouldn't tolerate being treated like an afterthought. "If we are treated like stepchildren, we know how to fight for our rights."

The major opposition party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also rejected the budget and announced not to cast votes for the federal budget. It also offered the PPP support if the government's ally boycott the budget voting.