ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said the upcoming budget would include measures aimed at providing relief to the public while advancing the government’s export-led growth agenda, which was the central pillar of the economic policy.
Speaking with leading industrialists and prominent business leaders at the PM House regarding the upcoming 2026-27 budget, Mr Sharif emphasised that measures were being taken to bring the informal economy into the tax net and accelerate economic growth.
“We are grateful to the business community for supporting the government during difficult economic conditions,” he said, adding that a strong partnership between the government and the private sector was the guarantee of economic growth. He said consultation with the business community was of critical importance in economic policymaking.
The delegation included Mian Muhammad Mansha, Arif Habib, Atif Bajwa, Muhammad Ali Tabba, Musaddiq Zulqarnain, Ziaad Bashir, Shahzad Saleem, Zeelaaf Munir, Umar Saeed, Umar Mansha, Yousaf Saeed, Kamran Arshad, Khurram Mukhtar, Asif Peer, Sultan Gohar Ejaz, Fawad Anwar, Zulfiqar Hayat, Javed Iqbal, Yousaf Hussain, Amir Ibrahim, Khawaja Masood Akhtar, and Ijaz Nabi.
Seeks business partnership to boost exports, expand documentation, cut power tariffs and speed tax refunds
Mr Shehbaz pointed out that business-friendly policies had stabilised the economy and restored foreign investors’ confidence. “We are promoting industries that increase domestic production, boost exports, and create maximum employment opportunities,” he said, adding that development in industry, agriculture, and information technology will further strengthen the economy and generate new jobs, he added. The prime minister said technical and vocational training programmes had been launched for young people to improve their employability and enable them to contribute effectively to national development.
During the meeting, the delegation was also briefed on initiatives to promote business, industry, and trade. It was informed that reforms had been introduced in tax tribunals to ensure the speedy resolution of tax-related cases. Appointments to these tribunals have been made through a highly transparent process.
The delegation was informed that a committee had been established to work on establishing Special Commercial Courts. It was also informed that work was underway to upgrade the M-10 Motorway and the Pipri Freight Corridor to improve connectivity between Karachi’s ports and inland regions. Similarly, construction of the M-13 Motorway (Kharian-Rawalpindi) will reduce travel time between Lahore and Islamabad.
Upgrading Pakistan Railways’ ML-1 and ML-2 lines will improve railway infrastructure and facilitate more efficient transportation of commercial goods, the delegation was informed.
The briefing added that a National AI Transformation Plan was being developed, and the installation of video analytics systems in the sugar and cement sectors had improved revenue collection by enhancing production monitoring.
The delegation members expressed confidence in the government’s economic recovery efforts and improved fiscal management.
Appreciating the government’s vision for promoting digital payments and a documented economy, the delegation welcomed tax reforms and measures to improve the ease of doing business. They also acknowledged reduced electricity tariffs for industry, the abolition of the Export Development Levy, and the timely payment of tax refunds.
They appreciated the government’s decision to consult the business community during the budget preparation process and presented their recommendations on the budget and on strengthening the national economy.
In his remarks after the meeting, Chief Executive Officer of Jazz World Amir Ibrahim said the prime minister had assured to provide Rs300 billion for the promotion of the Artificial Intelligence Industry.
Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026
