BUDGET 2026-27: Budget approval in final stages as grants finalised

• Lawmakers slam interior ministry for ‘poor performance’ over law and order disruptions

• Opp moves 587 cut motions over two days, all rejected

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly on Monday wrapped up the approval process for the budgetary allocations of federal ministries and allied departments, approving 135 demands for grants for the next fiscal year 2026-27.

This approval procedure was spread over two days, during which the opposition moved 587 cut motions, including 380 on Monday. All of them were rejected with a majority vote. The house is now expected to take up the finance bill and related fiscal measures before the budget is passed.

As the house debated the allocations, the National Assembly TV and its social media channels continued airing the opposition’s speeches, though in a censored manner. The sentences related to Imran Khan and criticism of the state institutions were muted.

Interior ministry under fire

A total of 123 cut motions were submitted regarding the interior ministry, which was slammed by the opposition lawmakers for the performance of its attached departments, including the Federal Inve­stigation Agency, the Anti-Narcotics Force, the National Cybe­r­crime Investigation Agency, and other law enforcement agencies.

The opposition lawmakers said they moved the highest number of cut motions regarding the interior ministry because they wanted to highlight the problems faced by the general public.

PTI MNA Shandana Gulzar said Pakistan lacked investments due to the law and order situation, while online hate speech continued to polarise society along ethnic and religious lines.

“The failure of just one ministry has not only destroyed the economy of the country but also divided the society,” she said, adding that citizens were being killed by terrorists, criminals, and even the law enforcers.

She also criticised the registration of cybercrime cases over political criticism, saying that NCCIA was charging people over criticism of politicians. “Mr Speaker, we acknowledge that criticising the state is not correct, but Maryam Nawaz is not the state; she is the political head of a province,” she added.

Hameed Hussain, MNA from Parachinar belonging to the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen, said that the law and order situation was grave in his area. He added that the road leading to Parachinar was opened only for two hours a day.

Food ministry cut motions

Besides the interior ministry, the opposition lawmakers submitted 112 cut motions regarding the food ministry.

The speakers called for measures to reduce fertiliser rates, introduce crop insurance schemes and other input costs in the agriculture sector.

PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar said the market mechanism was exploitative in nature.

“A strange part of the story is that farmers decry low rates of their produce, while the buyers, mainly the urban consumers, complain about high prices of agricultural products.”

During the session, some speakers lauded the role of civil and military leadership for facilitating the end of the US-led war on Iran and demanded that the long-delayed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project be revived to take advantage of the situation.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026