Friday was supposed to be the day Pakistan’s government presented its FY2026-27 federal budget. Instead, the session — originally scheduled for 3pm — was delayed, and the ruling coalition’s main ally, the PPP, threw the proceedings into confusion.
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari announced he would not attend the budget session, though the party insisted it was “not boycotting” and that some members would be present “in the national interest.” The party briefly posted the clarification on X before deleting it. Later, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar held a meeting with Bilawal at Parliament, suggesting urgent backroom diplomacy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking at a cabinet meeting that approved the budget, struck a broader tone, stressing the importance of “strong and invincible” national security. He also highlighted priorities including water reservoirs, dams, and indigenous energy resources such as solar, wind, and batteries. “No nation can handle its matters, let alone make progress, if its security is not strong,” Sharif said.
The day also brought tragedy: former senator Taj Muhammad Afridi was killed in a crash on the M-1 Motorway while travelling from Islamabad to Peshawar. Police attributed the accident to a technical fault in his vehicle. Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani expressed deep grief.
