Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh on Friday strongly criticized the Federal Budget 2026-27, describing it as anti-people, anti-poor, and entirely designed to satisfy the conditions of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), with no tangible relief for the public.
In a statement, Sheikh said the budget failed to provide meaningful relief to the people of Pakistan, including government employees, labourers, farmers, traders, and the middle class. He stated that the finance minister’s budget speech was confined to figures, claims, and ‘attractive slogans,’ while the ground realities painted a completely different picture.
He maintained that the budget had not been formulated in line with the needs and challenges facing the people of Pakistan, but rather to fulfill IMF conditions and requirements.
The PTI Sindh president said the government had once again set unrealistic revenue and tax collection targets, which would further increase the financial burden on the public. He added that, instead of providing relief to citizens already suffering from inflation, unemployment, and economic stagnation, the government had chosen to impose additional burdens, reflecting the failure of its economic policies.
Commenting on the announced salary increase for government employees, Sheikh said that a 7 percent raise in the current inflationary environment was equivalent to ‘adding insult to injury.’ He noted that the prices of essential commodities, electricity, gas, and petroleum products had risen continuously over the past year, severely eroding the purchasing power of the people. Under such circumstances, he argued, a 7 percent increase was unacceptable and that a minimum 100 percent increase in salaries and pensions should have been announced to provide meaningful relief.
He further alleged that the ruling elite had once again demonstrated that its priority was not public welfare but appeasing international financial institutions while attempting to conceal its failed economic policies. He said the budget contained no comprehensive plan for job creation, agricultural support, industrial revival, or relief for small businesses.
Sheikh added that citizens were already struggling under the burden of rising prices of electricity, gas, petrol, flour, sugar, and other essential goods, while the ruling class continued to expand its own privileges instead of reducing expenditures.
Concluding his statement, Sheikh rejected the Federal Budget 2026-27, saying it reflected the IMF’s agenda rather than the aspirations of the people of Pakistan. He added that PTI would continue to raise its voice for the protection of the public’s economic rights through every constitutional, legal, and democratic forum.