The National Assembly has approved 125 demands for grants pertaining to different ministries, divisions and departments for the next financial year.
The demands for grants were moved by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
There were no cut motions on eighty-nine demands for grants. These demands for grants were related to Atomic Energy, Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Naya Pakistan Housing Development Authority, National Security Division, Intelligence Bureau, Climate Change, Commerce Division, Communications Division, Pakistan Post, Defence Division, Airports Security Force, Defence Services, Defence Production Division, Economic Affairs Division, Federal Education and Professional Training Division, Higher Education Commission, National Rahmatul-Lil-Alameen Wa Khatamun Nabiyyin Authority, NAVTCC, National Heritage and Culture Division, Foreign Affairs Division, Housing and Works Division, Human Rights Division, Industries and Production Division, Information and Broadcasting Division, Information Technology and Telecommunication Division, Combined Civil Armed Forces, Inter-Provincial Coordination Division, Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions Division, Law and Justice Division, Council of Islamic Ideology, National Accountability Bureau, District Judiciary Islamabad Capital Territory, Maritime Affairs Division, National Assembly, Senate, National Health Services, Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Division, Parliamentary Affairs Division, Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division, Privatization Division, Railways Division, Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Division, Science and Technology Division, Water Resources Division, Board of Investment, Development Expenditure of Special Technology Zones Authority, Development Expenditure of Establishment Division, SUPARCO, Development Expenditure of Special Investment Facilitation Council, Development Expenditure of Finance Division, Development Expenditure of Revenue Division and Development Expenditure of Interior and Narcotics Control Division.
Besides, eighteen demands for grants pertaining to Cabinet Secretariat were also nodded by the National Assembly.
Winding up discussion on the cut motions, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said there is no increase in the budget of the Prime Minister’s House for the next financial year. He said the allocation is the same as it was in the federal budget 2025-26.
The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs said a committee formed under Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has finalized proposals for bureaucratic reforms. He said the Prime Minister will soon approve these proposals.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said Pakistan has received significant investment in different sectors, including agriculture, industries and mines and minerals, as a result of support of the Special Investment Facilitation Council. He said Pakistan is expected to receive investment of billions of dollars from GCC countries.
The House also approved six demands for grants pertaining to energy.
Winding up the discussion on the cut motions, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said the government has successfully reduced the Power Division’s financial burden from 1,287 billion rupees to 700 billion rupees over the last two years, resulting in savings of 587 billion rupees.
He further said that circular debt has been reduced by 780 billion rupees, while the losses of the Power Distribution Companies have declined by 335 billion rupees during the same period.
Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari also said the government renegotiated agreements with the Independent Power Producers, generating savings worth billions of rupees.
He added that economic load-shedding is currently being implemented on 3,500 out of 14,500 feeders across the country to contain losses. He further said that the Prime Minister has decided to abolish this form of load-shedding from next year. Instead, power restrictions will be imposed only on loss-making transformers rather than shutting down entire feeders.
The Minister said uninterrupted electricity supply will be ensured to all consumers who pay their bills regularly.
Twelve demands for grants pertaining to the Finance Division were also approved.
Winding up the discussion on cut motions, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb expressed confidence in achieving the tax revenue set for the next fiscal year. He said the government has imposed no new tax. He said a recovery of 450 billion rupees has been ensured through litigation.
The House rejected all the cut motions on these demands for grants.
The House will now meet tomorrow at eleven in the morning.
