Punjab Presents Budget 2026–27 Amid Unusual Calm in Assembly

Punjab presented the budget for the fiscal year 2026–2027 on Tuesday, although this year’s session differed somewhat from previous years. After a delay of one and a half hours, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz entered the Punjab Assembly, followed by other legislators. The CM responded with a wave to greetings from members seated behind her. Interestingly, unlike previous years, there was no sloganeering upon her entry—neither in support nor in opposition, which had been common in the past with considerable enthusiasm. After the recitation of the Holy Quran, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman began delivering the budget speech. In earlier budget sessions, opposition parties used to create such noise and disruption that the finance minister sometimes had to wear a device to block out the sound. This time, however, he did not feel the need for such assistance. However, it is not that the opposition remained silent. Some opposition members still staged a protest by holding up posters of founding PTI chairman Imran Khan. The government’s efforts toward digitalisation were also visible, as budget copies were not distributed to any members, including those from the opposition. In previous years, copies given to opposition members were often torn and thrown away. During the budget speech, CM Maryam Nawaz stood up with the support of Mariyum Aurangzeb and left the House. Following her departure, around 70 per cent of the members also left the hall, although the budget speech continued. Parwaaz Card Initiative: Punjab steps up overseas employment support