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Relief for Salaried Class in Upcoming Budget: Aurangzeb
Finance Minister Aurangzeb says relief is coming for the salaried class in the next budget. Talks with the US, export promotion, and budget transparency are top priorities. Electricity bills may drop by July.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-11
Relief for Salaried Class in Upcoming Budget: Aurangzeb

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has revealed that the government has formulated a program to provide relief to the salaried class in the upcoming national budget. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, the minister emphasized that economic stability, facilitation of the business sector, and promotion of exports are key government priorities.

The finance minister noted that for Pakistan to achieve export-led growth, all sectors must contribute actively. “We have products that can become international brands,” he said, adding that Pakistan needs to focus on enhancing its export potential.

In a significant development, Aurangzeb announced that a high-level Pakistani delegation will soon visit the United States under the Prime Minister's direction. “The US is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, and we are expecting constructive and positive discussions,” he said.

Regarding the issue of rising electricity costs, the finance minister said that the government is actively working to reduce power bills by July or earlier. He assured the public that efforts are underway to lessen the financial burden on the common citizen.

Aurangzeb stressed that while the relief measures for the salaried class have been finalized, their details will be shared with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) before being made public. “We cannot disclose the specifics yet, but the plan is in place,” he stated.

He further shared that around 98% of the budget proposals have been received from both public and private stakeholders. The government is evaluating these inputs thoroughly, and feedback will be provided regarding which suggestions will be adopted or rejected, with reasons for the latter.

The final version of the budget will be implemented starting July 1, and there will be no changes made after that date. “This approach allows for smoother execution of policies and better preparedness,” he explained.

On the IMF front, Aurangzeb confirmed that all the targets agreed upon with the Fund have been met, and he is optimistic about the Executive Board’s approval of the staff-level agreement in May.

He also addressed tax reforms, noting that tax collection from traders has seen improvement. He clarified that the trader-friendly scheme should not be misconstrued as a compromise on tax compliance. A Tax Policy Department is set to start functioning under the Ministry of Finance this year, and a simplified tax form is being developed to ease the filing process for individual taxpayers.

 
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PakistanEconomy

FinanceMinister

Budget2025

MuhammadAurangzeb

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