Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that generating maximum national resources and ensuring adequate funding for defense remain the government’s top priorities. He stated that defense funding priorities are closely linked to the country’s ability to address security challenges, including terrorism, while maintaining economic stability.
Addressing a meeting of the National Economic Council, the prime minister said consultations with provincial governments on the federal budget have been underway for several weeks. He noted that discussions focused on creating additional financial resources and implementing measures that would accelerate economic growth through higher exports and increased productivity.
Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s economy has shown improvement at the macroeconomic level, but significant work remains to be done. He emphasized that key decisions were made in the country’s best interest through a collective approach. Despite facing major economic challenges, the government remained committed to fulfilling the requirements of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. He added that he recently spoke with the IMF Managing Director, who appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts toward economic reforms.
The prime minister also highlighted the impact of regional tensions on global oil markets, saying that oil prices have risen sharply due to the prevailing situation in the region. He praised the provinces for their cooperation and stressed that creating jobs, increasing exports, improving economic conditions, and enhancing productive capacity are shared national responsibilities.
He further stated that the government provided relief worth Rs128 billion to the public to offset the impact of rising fuel prices. According to the prime minister, several countries witnessed long queues at fuel stations because of supply concerns, but timely government measures ensured uninterrupted fuel availability across Pakistan. He reiterated that defense funding priorities and sustainable economic growth will continue to guide government policy in the coming months.