PM hails budget as pro-people despite tough economic climate

June 18, 2026 (MLN): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called that the government presented a people-friendly budget despite a challenging economic environment, promising that the benefits of positive economic developments would be passed directly to citizens once regional peace and normalcy are fully restored.

Addressing women parliamentarians of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Islamabad, the Prime Minister said the budget prioritises national development with a focus on increasing water storage capacity and accelerating growth in the IT, agriculture, and minerals sectors, according to a press release issued.

Shehbaz Sharif said empowering women and enhancing their inclusion in the national mainstream remain among the government's top priorities, adding that the budget contains specific measures to make women self-reliant and expand their opportunities for education and development.

On the regional situation, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude that tensions had subsided, crediting the diplomatic efforts of Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi, alongside the broader government team.

He thanked friendly nations for their support during the peace process.

The Prime Minister said the government rolled out a Rs128 billion subsidy package alongside a large-scale austerity drive to shield the middle class and economically weaker segments from the effects of global inflation, adding that unlike some regional peers, Pakistan avoided both an economic crisis and fuel shortages.

He credited effective government planning and the cooperation of provincial governments for keeping the national economy stable through the recent period of difficulty, and paid tribute to the Pakistani public for their resilience and cooperation.

Women parliamentarians on the occasion lauded the Prime Minister's role in regional peace efforts and commended the government's economic team for incorporating women-focused measures in the budget.

They also presented proposals related to the budget and public welfare initiatives in their constituencies.

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