ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):Parliamentary Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Division, Farah Naz Akbar on Thursday said the Federal Budget 2026-27 was designed to promote economic growth and provide relief to the public. Participating in the budget debate in the National Assembly, she welcomed the relief extended to salaried individuals and suggested that the tax burden on this segment should be reduced further. She said the abolition of the super …
Budget aimed at economic growth, public relief: Farah Naz Akbar
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):Parliamentary Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Division, Farah Naz Akbar on Thursday said the Federal Budget 2026-27 was designed to promote economic growth and provide relief to the public.
Participating in the budget debate in the National Assembly, she welcomed the relief extended to salaried individuals and suggested that the tax burden on this segment should be reduced further.
She said the abolition of the super tax and the reduction in withholding tax on property transactions would encourage investment and support business activity.
She also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for taking the economy towards stability, said that inflation had fallen from 38 per cent to single digits.
Farah Naz Akbar said the significant reduction in the policy rate had restored confidence among investors and businesses, creating a more favourable environment for economic activity.
She added that the government had maintained economic stability despite a challenging global economic environment through sound policies and effective leadership.
She said the budget contained practical measures to support growth in key sectors, including agriculture, industry and information technology.
Welcoming the abolition of the 18pc sales tax on the shipping industry, she said the move would help integrate the maritime sector into the national growth agenda and create employment opportunities.
The parliamentary secretary also welcomed the increase in development allocations for Balochistan and measures aimed at reducing taxes on essential consumer goods to provide relief to the public.
Speaking in her capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for the National Heritage and Culture Division, she stressed the need for greater investment in cultural heritage preservation and tourism promotion.
She said Pakistan’s cultural and historical assets could help project a positive image of the country internationally while contributing to economic development through tourism.
Referring to the Danish School project, she said it was launched in Punjab in 2010 and later expanded to other provinces and regions under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
She said Danish Schools had now been established across the country, including in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As an educationist, she highlighted the challenges faced by families of children with special needs and praised the establishment of a dedicated autism centre in Islamabad, describing it as one of the prime minister’s most significant initiatives.
However, she urged the government to allocate additional resources to education, noting that millions of children remained out of school.
Farah Naz Akbar also paid tribute to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, describing her as a dynamic and visionary leader whose reforms had ushered Punjab into a new era of governance and public service.
She said administrative reforms, institutional restructuring and the establishment of new authorities and departments had promoted a modern, efficient and citizen-centric governance culture focused on transparency and service delivery.
She cited initiatives such as Suthra Punjab, the Crime Control Department, environmental improvement programmes and the expansion of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority to the tehsil level as examples of efforts to strengthen institutions and improve public services.
According to her, substantial progress had also been made in health, education, environment, culture, agriculture, industry, information technology, youth empowerment, transport infrastructure and social welfare.
The parliamentary secretary also paid tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their role in promoting regional peace and stability.
She said Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts had received international recognition and contributed to reducing tensions in a challenging global environment.
