Senate returns Rs1.43b to national treasury under austerity drive: Gilani

Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Wednesday told the upper house that the Senate had returned Rs1.436 billion to the national treasury under an austerity campaign, describing it as a significant step toward financial discipline and institutional accountability.

Presenting details of the savings in the Senate, Gilani said the amount deposited back into the national exchequer was 500 percent higher than the savings target set by the Ministry of Finance.

He said the Senate managed to save 15.9 percent of its overall budget during the 2025-26 fiscal year, adding that the austerity campaign was initiated from the Chairman Senate's office and later implemented across the institution.

Gilani said 17 out of 18 development and procurement projects approved by the Senate Finance Committee had been postponed, resulting in substantial savings.

He said strict controls on recruitment, administrative expenditures and operational costs had helped strengthen financial discipline within the institution.

The chairman informed the house that Rs60 million allocated for the purchase of government vehicles remained unspent during the current fiscal year, as the Senate did not acquire a single new official vehicle.

He added that the Senate Finance Committee had also withdrawn funds earmarked for vehicle replacement in the next fiscal year, a move expected to save an additional Rs140 million.

Gilani said expenditures on banquets and refreshments at official meetings had been eliminated as part of the austerity measures. He added that committee meetings were gradually being shifted to digital and virtual platforms to further reduce costs.

The chairman also said that unnecessary foreign visits had been suspended, with priority given to conserving national resources.

Gilani said the Senate's austerity measures had set a new benchmark for financial prudence and accountability, demonstrating the institution's commitment to reducing expenditures and ensuring efficient use of public funds.