Budget for next year aimed at reducing fiscal deficit: Aurangzeb

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in the National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday that next year’s fiscal budget will aim to reduce fiscal deficit by focusing on measures that enhance the government’s revenues and reduce unnecessary expenditures. Aurangzeb presented the budget on June 12 in the National Assembly, after which the lower house of parliament mulled over the financial plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Today, PPP — which had initially boycotted the debate over the budget — decided that it would vote for the finance bill despite certain reservations. While giving a press briefing after the party’s meeting, PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the meeting decided that if the party did not vote for the budget, “it would amount to dismantling the government and paving the way for instability in the country”.