
Pakistan to unveil economic survey today as National Assembly clears federal budget schedule
KARACHI: Pakistan's finance chief, Muhammad Aurangzeb, will present the Economic Survey 2024-25 today, Monday, a day after the National Assembly approved the schedule for the upcoming federal budget, according to the state media.
Traditionally released a day before the budget announcement, the economic survey outlines key socio-economic achievements and shortfalls of an outgoing fiscal year. It serves as a snapshot of the country's economic performance across sectors such as agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecom, health, education and transport.
The annual document also reviews trends in major economic indicators including inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change and social protection. Invitations for the launch ceremony at the Pakistan Secretariat in Islamabad were circulated by the finance ministry on Sunday.
'Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey 2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad on Monday,' the Radio Pakistan reported.
Meanwhile, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had approved the schedule for the upcoming budget sessions for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
According to the schedule, the federal budget will be presented on June 10, followed by a two-day recess. A general debate will begin on June 13 and continue through June 21, with time allocated for all parliamentary parties in line with Assembly rules.
No sitting will be held on June 22. Charged expenditures for the next fiscal year will be taken up on June 23, followed by discussions and voting on Demands for Grants and Cut Motions on June 24 and 25.
The Finance Bill 2025 is scheduled for a vote on June 26, and supplementary grants and related matters will be finalized on June 27.
The federal budget will be announced as Pakistan navigates a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
The country's annual inflation rate rose to 3.5% in May, though officials say the macroeconomic outlook has improved on the back of a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal recently said the government had earmarked Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget.
Authorities have pledged to maintain macroeconomic stability, advance structural reforms and ensure growth translates into inclusive progress.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Pakistan shares range bound amid uncertainty over budget announcement
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Stock Market witnessed a range-bound session today, Tuesday, with the index fluctuating within a narrow band amid uncertainty surrounding the budget announcement. Pakistan will unveil its annual federal budget for the coming fiscal year on Tuesday evening, seeking to kickstart growth while finding resources for an expected hike in defense expenditure following a military conflict with India last month, the worst between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades. Islamabad will also have to contend with remaining within the discipline of its International Monetary Fund program and the uncertainty from new trade tariffs being imposed by the United States, its biggest export market. 'The index recorded an intraday high of 970 points and a low of 51 points, eventually closing at 122,024 — gaining 383 points or 0.32 percent,' brokerage house Topline Securities said in its daily market review. 'Market participation remained healthy, with total traded volume reaching 591 million shares and a traded value of PKR 21 billion.' Media reports say the government is likely to present a 17.6 trillion rupee ($62.45 billion) budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, down 6.7 percent from this fiscal year. It has projected a fiscal deficit of 4.8 percent of GDP, against a targeted 5.9 percent deficit in 2024-25, the reports say. Analysts said they expect an increase of around 20 percent in the defense budget, likely offset by cuts in development spending. Pakistan allocated 2.1 trillion Pakistani rupees($7.45 billion) for defense in the outgoing fiscal year, including $2 billion for equipment and other assets. An additional 563 billion rupees ($1.99 billion) was set aside for military pensions, which are not counted within the official defense budget. The government of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has projected 4.2 percent economic growth in 2025-26, saying it has steadied the economy, which had looked at risk of defaulting on its debts as recently as 2023. Growth this fiscal year is likely to be 2.7 percent, against an initial target of 3.6 percent set in the budget last year. Pakistan's growth lags far behind the region. In 2024, South Asian countries grew by an average of 5.8 percent and 6.0 percent growth is expected in 2025, according to the Asian Development Bank. With inputs from Reuters


Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Pakistan deports over 216,000 illegal migrants since April under ongoing repatriation drive
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has deported over 216,000 undocumented foreign nationals since April this year as part of a nationwide campaign targeting illegal migrants, mostly Afghan citizens, the country's interior ministry said on Tuesday. The repatriation drive, which began in November 2023, was launched in the wake of a spike in suicide bombings and militant activity that Pakistani officials linked to Afghan nationals, though no public evidence was provided to support the claim. 'Since April 1, 2025, a total of 216,103 illegal foreigners have been repatriated and the campaign is ongoing,' the ministry said in its statement. 'Since October 2023, a total of 1,102,441 illegal foreigners have been repatriated under the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program,' it added. Initially, authorities had said the crackdown would focus on those lacking any legal documentation. However, in early 2025, the government expanded the scope to Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders, ordering them to leave by March 31 or face deportation starting April 1. The interior ministry said food and health care arrangements had been made for those in the repatriation process, and that women, children and the elderly are being treated 'with dignity and respect.' It warned that anyone aiding undocumented foreigners with employment or accommodation would also face legal action. Pakistan has hosted more than 2.8 million Afghan refugees over the past four decades due to prolonged conflict in Afghanistan. The current deportation campaign has drawn criticism from human rights groups and the Afghan Taliban, who have accused Islamabad of harassment and called for the safe and dignified return of Afghan nationals. The Pakistani government has denied these allegations, maintaining the repatriation process is being carried out respectfully and in accordance with the law.


Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan tells UK lawmakers it wants Indus Waters Treaty revived amid India tensions
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani parliamentary delegation visiting key global capitals in the wake of last month's military standoff with India told British lawmakers Islamabad remains committed to ensuring the revival of the Indus Waters Treaty and promoting regional peace, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday. The outreach comes after India and Pakistan engaged in their most intense military exchange in years, sparking fears of a full-scale war under a nuclear overhang. Over four days in May, both sides exchanged missile strikes, launched drone attacks and engaged in air combat before a US-brokered ceasefire was announced by President Donald Trump on May 10. The crisis was triggered by a militant attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. New Delhi blamed the assault on Pakistan-based elements, an allegation Islamabad denied, instead calling for an independent international probe. As tensions escalated, the global community moved swiftly to defuse the situation. Before launching its military strikes, India took several punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending a decades-old, World Bank-backed water-sharing treaty between the two countries. 'The High-Level Parliamentary delegation from Pakistan, led by the Chairman of Pakistan People's Party and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, briefed the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pakistan during a meeting hosted by APPG Chair Yasmin Qureshi MP at Westminster Palace, which was attended by cross-party British parliamentarians,' the statement said. 'The delegation underscored Pakistan's commitment to restraint, revival of the Indus Waters Treaty and initiation of a composite dialogue between the two countries on all outstanding issues, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.' According to the statement, Bhutto-Zardari briefed lawmakers on the consequences of what he described as India's unprovoked aggression, including violations of Pakistan's sovereignty in the aftermath of the attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. He rejected India's allegations against Pakistan as baseless, saying they lacked credible investigation or verifiable evidence. He further warned India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty violated international law and could have serious implications for regional and global peace. Pakistan's Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik also addressed the session, highlighting the environmental and food security risks of disrupting the treaty. He warned the suspension threatened the survival of Pakistan's 240 million people, most of whom rely on agriculture. The delegation also emphasized Pakistan's military response to the Indian actions was measured and consistent with international law, including the right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.