Pakistan, June 16 -- Punjab's Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman presented the provincial budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, with a total volume of Rs5,335 billion. The budget session took place in the Punjab Assembly on Monday, while Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and her cabinet joined virtually from Iran due to official commitments. Meanwhile, opposition members gathered before the speaker's dais and raised slogans in protest.

The budget offers a 10% salary increase for government employees and a 5% pension increase for retired personnel. This move is aimed at providing relief against rising inflation. Despite fiscal pressures, the government maintained its promise of no new taxes for the second consecutive year, highlighting its ...