The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday dismissed reports that it had decided to boycott the federal budget session, clarifying that while Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would not attend the proceedings, the party would remain part of the budget process in the national interest.
In a statement posted on X, the PPP said the party had not taken any decision to boycott the session.
“Chairman Bilawal will not participate in the budget session, but some members will. Under national interest, the PPP will be part of the budget process,” the party said.
Rumours of Boycott Surface
Speculation about a possible boycott emerged following a meeting of the PPP parliamentary party in Islamabad.
Media reports suggested that the party had decided to stay away from the budget proceedings and that Bilawal had left Parliament and returned home.
However, the party later rejected the reports and reiterated its commitment to participating in the budget process.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Bilawal said that the mandate of the people in the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan elections would not be allowed to be undermined.
Dar Meets Bilawal Amid Speculation
Soon after reports of a possible boycott surfaced, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Bilawal at his office in Parliament House.
Senator Sherry Rehman and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also attended the meeting.
The development came as the government prepared to present the federal budget for fiscal year 2026-27.
Government Set to Present Rs17.5 Trillion Budget
The government is expected to unveil a consolidated budget worth Rs17.5 trillion, equivalent to around $61 billion, for the next fiscal year.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb is scheduled to present the spending plan in the National Assembly.
The budget has been prepared under the framework of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and is expected to include measures aimed at increasing revenues, reducing expenditures and maintaining fiscal discipline.
At the same time, the government plans to provide relief to low-income groups and approve modest salary increases for public sector employees.
The spending plan comes amid economic challenges and rising regional tensions that have continued to affect global markets and fuel prices.
PPP Support Remains Crucial for Coalition
The National Assembly has 336 seats, although 10 are currently vacant, leaving the strength of the house at 326 members.
The ruling coalition currently enjoys the support of 237 lawmakers.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is the largest party in the alliance with 125 members. It is followed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) with 22 members, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) with five, and the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) with four members.
The coalition also includes representatives from the Pakistan Muslim League-Zia, Balochistan Awami Party and National Party, along with four independent members.
The PPP, with 74 members, remains the second-largest party supporting the government.
Its backing has played a key role in enabling the coalition to secure both a simple majority and, when required, a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Opposition Holds 89 Seats
Meanwhile, the opposition benches comprise 89 members.
These include 75 independent lawmakers, 10 members from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), and one member each from the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).
The budget session is expected to witness extensive debate as lawmakers review the government’s economic priorities for the coming fiscal year.