ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said that providing relief to the common man in the upcoming budget was the government’s priority, and all-out resources will be utilised to reduce the financial difficulties of the poor and middle class.

The prime minister, chairing a meeting on the preparation of the Federal Budget 2025-26, directed that the upcoming budget should be prepared with a focus on sustainable export-driven growth and considering the projects to promote industries and increase production.

The budget should also focus extensively on the creation of jobs, agriculture, information technology, small and medium enterprises, and the housing sector, he added.

He said the government and private sector must work together for national development and prosperity.

Calling the public-private partnerships and youth vocational training among the government’s priorities, Prime Minister Shehbaz noted that positive results were emerging from the government’s power sector reforms as the reduction in electricity prices for industries would help promote industry and production.

He said automation and digitisation were being promoted to bring transparency in the government system and facilitate the business community and investors.

He further said the government would continue the process of rightsizing to reduce the size of the federal government in the next fiscal year.

During the briefing, it was informed that consultations with the private sector on budget preparation was in process for the past three months, besides consultative sessions with stakeholders from various sectors.

It was informed that five-year Trade Policy Framework for 2025-30 and the E-Commerce 2.0 Framework would complete soon, and a plan for tariff rationalisation was also being prepared.

The delegation of businessmen and experts expressed confidence in the government’s economic policies and presented their suggestions which the prime minister welcomed and directed the inclusion of feasible proposals in the budget.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Jam Kamal Khan, Shaza Fatima, Sardar Awais Ahmad Leghari, and Ali Pervaiz Malik, Special Assistant to PM Haroon Akhtar, and relevant senior government officials.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2025