ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday announced his party’s full support for the federal budget for FY2025-26, following the government’s acceptance of several key PPP demands.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Bilawal said the PPP supports the budget “wholeheartedly,” particularly after the government made critical concessions on social welfare, taxation, and economic justice.
He welcomed the approval of a record 20% increase in allocations for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), calling it a major step forward in social protection. “Our demand was accepted — unlike during the PTI government, which consistently reduced BISP funding,” he noted.
Bilawal also applauded the government’s decision to cut taxes on solar panels by 50%, following PPP’s objections to levies on renewable energy.
Another significant concession involved changes to the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) authority to arrest tax defaulters. “The government has amended the controversial arrest powers. Arrests will no longer be permitted at the initial stage and will now be bailable,” Bilawal explained.
He further highlighted that salaried individuals earning up to Rs1.2 million annually would remain exempt from income tax — a proposal strongly backed by the PPP.
Bilawal thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for addressing the party’s concerns, allowing the PPP to lend its full support to the federal budget.
