Federal budget 2025-6 offers a promising boost for Pakistan’s future:  APBF

The All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) Sunday said that in a time of tight fiscal space and under the watchful eye of the International Monetary Fund, the government’s Budget 2025–26 has emerged as a promising and balanced effort, marked not only by financial prudence but by strategic priorities that reflect national resilience.

APBF President Syed Maaz Mahmood while addressing a post-budget sitting organized by the forum on Sunday, observed that this budget, laid out under immense global and domestic pressure, still manages to address core economic challenges while showing appreciation for the pillars that hold Pakistan together—from entrepreneurs to armed forces.

Maaz Mahmood said that the country is witnessing a rare sense of alignment across institutions.

At the heart of this unity stands Field Marshal Asim Munir, whose recent promotion is not just a ceremonial honour but a reflection of his unshaken leadership across defence and economic fronts.

The increase in defence budget is not just a line item, but a necessity in the current regional context.

With the Indian posture growing increasingly hostile and hybrid threats on the rise, the government has rightly prioritised military preparedness, raising defence allocations by over 20 percent.

The message is clear: Pakistan’s sovereignty and deterrence remain non-negotiable. Yet what makes this budget more meaningful is that despite these rightful defence allocations, the government has not neglected the country’s economic engines—particularly the small and medium enterprises.

APBF Chairman Ibrahim Qureshi said that the SME sector, long advocated for by the All Pakistan Business Forum (APBF) and its President Syed Maaz Mahmood, has been given room to breathe.

In a climate of high interest rates and reduced lending, the government’s decision to facilitate soft financing through the State Bank’s refinancing schemes, reduce import duties on industrial inputs, and offer targeted tax relief reflects a sincere effort to honour APBF’s long-standing demands.

Ibrahim Qureshi said that it’s a rare budget that manages to respect fiscal restraint while offering growth incentives to job creators.