LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman is presenting provincial budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 in the Punjab Assembly.
The Punjab Assembly budget session began with a delay of one hour and forty minutes under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. The session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, Naat, and the national anthem. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was also present in the session.
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During the budget session, the opposition staged a protest and started chanting slogans as soon as they entered the House.
As the Finance Minister began his budget speech, the opposition intensified its protest, standing from their seats and gathering near the Speaker’s dais in front of the Chief Minister of Punjab.
The total outlay of the budget is Rs5,903 billion.
During his budget speech in the provincial assembly, Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said he congratulates the entire nation on the Iran–US peace agreement. He also congratulated PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the diplomatic success.
He further extended congratulations to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on the peace deal, saying that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) saved the country from default and that the world acknowledges Pakistan’s success in “Maarka-e-Haq.”
The finance minister said the Iran–US conflict had shaken the foundations of the global economy, adding that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has set a strong example of austerity and financial discipline.
Rs752b allocated for development projects
Punjab Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman said that Rs 752 billion have been allocated for development projects in Punjab, adding that no compromise has been made on the province’s development agenda. He said salaries of ministers were reduced and the work carried out under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s leadership has been widely appreciated at every forum.
He stated that the government played a full role in stabilizing the economy and provided maximum relief to the public during floods. “Today, facilities are being delivered to citizens at their doorsteps across Punjab,” he added.
The finance minister said every district and tehsil of Punjab is part of the development journey, and that Maryam Nawaz has introduced revolutionary initiatives in the province. He further said Punjab played its role as the “elder brother” in strengthening Pakistan’s defense.
Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman added that Punjab contributed Rs 546 billion to the federal government, calling the province the backbone of Pakistan. He said more than 400,000 people were provided jobs on merit, while the government has also worked to control all unnecessary expenditures.
Salaries and pensions
Punjab government has proposed salary and pension increases for employees and retirees in the 2026-27 budget, allocating over Rs1.1 trillion for pay and pension payments.
Government employees in Punjab are set to receive a proposed 7% increase in salaries from the next fiscal year.
Retired employees have been given a proposed 3.5% increase in pensions.
The budget has allocated Rs650 billion for salaries of provincial government employees.
Around Rs505 billion has been reserved for pension payments of retired employees.
The proposed measures are part of Punjab’s Rs5.9 trillion tax-free budget for 2026-27.
