Journalists Walk Out of Post-Budget Presser Over Missing Finance Bill Briefing
ISLAMABAD: Media representatives staged a walkout during Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s post-budget press briefing in Islamabad, voicing concern over the absence of a technical session on the Finance Bill 2025–26.
FBR Fails to Provide Pre-Briefing Session
Traditionally, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) holds a detailed technical briefing before the post-budget press conference to help journalists grasp the proposed tax measures. However, this time, that session was skipped, prompting media personnel to leave the event in protest.
Information Minister Acknowledges Media’s Concerns
In a prompt response, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar addressed the issue, saying the concerns raised by journalists were “completely justified.” He extended an apology on behalf of the government and announced that the FBR Chairman had agreed to arrange the postponed technical session soon.
“I personally guarantee that the briefing will take place,” Tarar assured, briefly joining the protesting journalists in a show of support. Following his commitment, the reporters returned, and the press conference resumed.
Key Announcements in Budget 2025–26
The protest occurred just a day after the finance minister unveiled the Rs 17.573 trillion federal budget for the fiscal year 2025–26 in the National Assembly.
During his address, Finance Minister Aurangzeb lauded the efforts of Pakistan’s military and political leadership, commending the armed forces for their strong and effective response to national security threats.
He emphasized that this was the second budget presented by the coalition government, highlighting a significant achievement—a primary budget surplus of 2.4% of GDP. Additionally, he pointed out that the inflation rate had dropped to 4.7%, attributing this to improved financial management and economic reforms.
