Bilawal withdraws decision to boycott budget session

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has withdrawn the announcement to boycott the budget session following a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad.

Earlier, the PPP said it had decided not to boycott the budget session, but PPP Chairman Bilawal would not attend the sitting.

The PPP had said the political party will be part of the budget process in the national interest, hence, some of its lawmakers would participate in the session.

The federal government is set to unveil the budget for the next financial year 2026-27 at the National Assembly today. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will present the budget.

Bilawal and PPP’s other senior members would not participate in the budget session because an attempt was made to steal the mandate in Gilgit-Baltistan, Aaj News had reported citing the party sources. Bilawal, as per the sources, had said that it could not happen that on one hand the mandate is stolen, and on the other hand they kept clapping.

A day ago, an important consultative meeting was held in Gilgit between high-level delegations of the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N).

During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on possible formulas for government formation in Gilgit-Baltistan, political cooperation, mutual consultation, and other important matters.

The PPP delegation had stated that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan had given the party a clear mandate by making it the largest political party in the Gilgit-Baltistan. The delegation said that all decisions related to government formation will be taken keeping in mind democratic principles, political consultation and public interests.