ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The federal government may further delay the presentation of the Federal Budget 2025-26, according to Ministry of Finance sources on Thursday.
Finance Ministry sources say the federal government may postpone the budget presentation once more, as Eid ul Adha falls on June 7-8.
Officials suggest Monday, June 9, the third day of Eid, could be declared a working day to accommodate key economic events, including the NEC meeting and Economic Survey 2025 release.
However, Finance Ministry sources believe it would not be practical to hold both events on the same day.
The NEC meeting usually lasts all day, with the prime ministers of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and all four provincial chief ministers in attendance.
The meeting is crucial for finalising federal and provincial development plans. Normally, there is a two-day gap between the NEC meeting and the budget presentation in parliament.
With this in mind, officials suggest the federal budget may now be unveiled on June 12 instead of the previously expected June 10.
Earlier this month, the government had already pushed the budget date from June 2 to June 10, mainly due to ongoing talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over key fiscal matters.
Those discussions resumed last week but ended without a clear resolution.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has hinted at tax relief for the salaried class.
On Monday, while addressing an event in Islamabad, he said the government is “actively working to reduce the tax burden on salaried persons,” adding that their income is taxed “as soon as it is credited into their accounts.”
He also noted that the budget should provide a sense of direction rather than just list income and spending plans.
