PTI tears into 'elite-driven' budget

PTI lawmakers brand budget illegitimate and anti-people

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rejected the federal budget 2025-26 both inside and outside the National Assembly on Tuesday, calling it an "IMF-dictated budget" that lacks public legitimacy and launching a two-pronged attack: an aggressive protest on the assembly floor and a pointed press conference soon after.

The finance minister's second consecutive budget speech kicked off under fire, with the opposition benches erupting into noisy protest from the get-go.

As Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb began unveiling the budget, PTI lawmakers rose to their feet, banged budget books on their desks, blew whistles, and held up posters calling for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan.

Throughout the presentation, they chanted slogans against the government, branding the budget illegitimate and anti-people. Undeterred by the uproar, the finance minister pressed on, while treasury members donned headphones to tune out the opposition's noise.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who entered the house amid the commotion, remained seated and unflinching, as ruling party lawmakers formed a protective cordon around him to avoid any direct clash with the protesting members.

Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan led from the front, setting the tone for a coordinated protest and ensuring every PTI lawmaker played their part.

Remaining on his feet throughout the session, he repeatedly slammed the budget book on his desk and signalled to fellow members to stay engaged. Lawmakers tore papers and flung them into the air at intervals.

After the initial outburst, opposition members moved en masse toward the area between the speaker's desk and the prime minister's seat, continuing their chorus of slogans without letting up.

The disruption echoed the tense scenes from last year's budget session, when the finance minister's maiden speech faced an equally turbulent reception from PTI-turned-Sunni Ittehad Council lawmakers.

Then as now, the protests included loud chanting, desk-slamming, paper-tearing and close proximity to the PM's seat, prompting treasury members to act as a human shield.

Shortly after the session, senior PTI leaders, including NA opposition leader Omar Ayub, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Leader of Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, addressed a joint press conference, reiterating their categorical rejection of the budget.

"This is not a people's budget; it's an IMF budget designed to serve elite interests," the opposition leader said.

Ayub questioned the government's economic claims, particularly the projected GDP growth of 2.7%, and sarcastically asked: "Who counted the donkeys and did they differentiate between the four-legged and two-legged ones?"

He dismissed the budget as detached from reality, pointing to deepening inequality, inflation and declining industrial output.

PTI information secretary was more scathing, calling the budget "economic gallows" for the people, saying it was not a budget for the nation rather a public execution plan. He further said that PTI considers this a "Leela budget" - implying the budget is a farce that ultimately sacrifices common people like goats at slaughter while the elite's interests are protected.

He questioned the logic behind token relief for the salaried class and warned that the development allocations were unrealistic and insincere.

Opposition leader in the Senate, Shibli Faraz, added that the government had broken all previous records of elitist budgeting.

The opposition leader in the Senate said that budgets have been made for the ruling class for decades, but this year's budget has broken all previous records of elite budgeting. Criticising the government, Faraz said: "When such legislation and budget-making takes place in Parliament, it is not just undemocratic but hostile to the country's interest."

Faraz also noted that the Afghan currency had appreciated more than the Pakistani rupee, calling it an indicator of the government's failure. "When a government comes to power through Form-47s, it lacks the trust needed for serious reform," he said, warning that economic manipulation without legitimacy would not bring progress.

Addressing the media, Faraz condemned the government's handling of inflation and taxation, particularly for salaried individuals. He remarked that the salaried class was being relentlessly squeezed, stating, "as much blood as can be drawn from them is being drawn."

He questioned how a country could progress while functioning on what he described as "IMF crutches".

Faraz also criticised the state's response to peaceful demands from government employees, noting that when government workers began protesting for their rights, the entire Red Zone of Islamabad was sealed off.

"Those who ask for their lawful rights are treated as if they are doing something wrong," he said. PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja described the document as one that "makes the rich richer and the poor poorer," saying the salaried class and poor people were burdened further.

All leaders also reiterated their demand for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, describing their incarceration as illegal and politically motivated. They called the ongoing legislative process illegitimate and demanded the restoration of constitutional order, public mandate and rule of law.

Earlier, the protest in the assembly followed a detailed strategy discussion in PTI's parliamentary party meeting, held hours before the session. The party rejected the 2025-26 budget outright, terming it a continuation of policies dictated by the IMF.

Lawmakers reiterated their stance that the current government had no mandate to present the budget, arguing that it was formed through manipulated election results and did not reflect the will of the people.

In its official statement, the PTI parliamentary party declared that the government had no legal or moral authority to legislate on behalf of the public. "This is an IMF budget, not a people's budget," the party said, vowing to resist its passage at every forum, including both the National Assembly and Senate. It condemned the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens, stating that while the poor were crushed under inflation, the ruling elite continued their lavish lifestyles unchecked.

The party also expressed strong disapproval of NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq's conduct, accusing him of acting as a partisan figure rather than a neutral custodian of the House.

Lawmakers demanded that the speaker act according to his constitutional role rather than serving party interests. It was also decided in the meeting that a privileged motion would be moved if opposition speeches continued to be censored on national broadcasts.

PTI lawmakers further resolved to raise the issue of media blackout on their speeches in the assembly and to protest outside if necessary.