Islamabad, June 9, 2026: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Tuesday indicated that the federal budget for fiscal year 2026-27 is likely to be presented in Parliament on June 12.
In a post on X, the minister said summaries seeking approval to convene budget sessions of the National Assembly and Senate on June 10 had been sent to the Presidency. He added that the National Assembly session had been proposed for 5pm, while the Senate session was scheduled for 4pm.
The announcement comes amid uncertainty over the budget timetable as negotiations continue between the federal government, coalition partners, and provincial administrations over fiscal arrangements and resource distribution.
The National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, considered a prerequisite for finalizing key economic targets and development plans, was postponed for a third time on Monday. The delay reportedly stemmed from ongoing discussions regarding the federal government’s proposal to secure additional fiscal space for strategic requirements and the issue of provincial shares under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s Adviser on Finance, Muzzammil Aslam, said the federal government had informed provinces that their financial shares under the NFC Award for the next fiscal year would remain at the current level. According to him, any increase above the existing allocation would be returned to the Centre.
Aslam said provincial governments had raised concerns over the proposal, arguing that it could place pressure on provincial finances, potentially leading to budget deficits and affecting governance and development spending. He added that provinces were advised to consider measures such as limiting expenditure growth and reviewing development schemes.
He further noted that uncertainty remains over the scheduling of the NEC meeting, as several outstanding issues require consensus before the council can convene. According to Aslam, the differences between the Centre and provinces remain significant and may impact the overall budget process.
Meanwhile, the federal government and its key coalition partner, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have reportedly reached a broad understanding on the framework of the upcoming budget.
A third round of consultations between the two sides was held at Aiwan-i-Sadr on Monday, chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior leaders from both parties. The discussions focused on development priorities and fiscal planning for the next financial year.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said the government and the PPP had reached a “complete understanding” regarding the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the development budget. He added that further consultations would continue to address remaining budget-related matters and ensure consensus among stakeholders before the budget is formally presented.
