Islamabad, June 8, 2026: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has assured the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led federal government of its support for the passage of the federal budget for fiscal year 2026-27, following a high-level consultative meeting between the leadership of the two coalition partners in Islamabad on Monday, sources said.
According to insiders, the meeting was led by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and focused on key budgetary and political issues ahead of the presentation of the federal budget.
Prime Minister Shehbaz was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance. The PPP delegation included Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and members of the party’s budget committee alongside President Zardari.
Sources familiar with the discussions said both sides reached broad consensus on most of the federal budget proposals, while technical committees would continue consultations on a few remaining issues to finalize the fiscal framework.
The development comes as the government prepares to present the federal budget, which was earlier rescheduled from June 5 to June 10 following reservations raised by coalition partners regarding certain proposed measures.
Parliamentary sources had earlier indicated that the delay was necessitated by objections from allied parties as the government sought to complete key legislative requirements before the budget session. The proposed legislation was said to have significant implications for the upcoming budget and had drawn concerns from the PPP, a key coalition ally.
To bridge differences and ensure consensus, senior political leaders were tasked with engaging the PPP leadership, leading to the latest round of consultations.
Sources also revealed that another coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), has linked its support for the budget to certain political demands. MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar has reportedly called for the reappointment of Kamran Tessori as Governor of Sindh as part of the party’s conditions.
Earlier, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said the government was actively working to build consensus among coalition partners and described ongoing discussions as constructive and positive.
He noted that preparations for the budget were being carried out in coordination with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), coalition allies and other stakeholders, with a focus on strengthening tax administration through enforcement measures and expanding the tax base.
The finance minister also emphasized that efforts were underway to avoid imposing new taxes while maintaining fiscal discipline, political consensus and economic stability.
Budget date may change again
Meanwhile, the government is reportedly considering another change to the budget presentation schedule.
Sources said consultations are underway to postpone the presentation of the federal budget from June 10 to June 12, with a final decision expected within the next one to two days.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal acknowledged that several budget-related matters remain unresolved as discussions continue amid time constraints and the approaching month of Muharram.
He said the government was still working on various aspects of the budget and that adjustments could be made even after its presentation. However, he stopped short of confirming whether the date would be changed, saying a final decision had yet to be taken.
The latest developments suggest that while significant progress has been made in securing political backing for the budget, consultations among coalition partners are expected to continue until the fiscal plan is formally unveiled.
