Budget 2017-18 to be presented on May 26: Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said the federal budget for the year 2017-2018 will be presented on May 26 before the parliament.

The finance minister told reporters that due to the holy month of Ramzan the federal government has decided to present the budget earlier in the parliament.

Commenting on national census, Dar said that all-out efforts were being made to ensure transparency and credibility of the 6th population and housing census being held under the supervision of the Pakistan Army.

The minister said the first phase had been completed in 63 districts and the second one would start on April 25 and continue for a month. The information and data gathered through the extensive census exercise would be made public after its compilation that would take a couple of months further, he added.

He said the current census was being held after 19 years which, otherwise, should have been conducted after every 10 years.

The government had decided to conduct the census in 2016, but due to the Operation Zarb-e-Azb and reservations of the stakeholders, it was postponed.