The Ministry of Finance suspended Eid-ul-Azha holidays for staff responsible for finalizing paperwork, as the federal budget for the fiscal year 2025–26 is set to be unveiled after the Eid break.
In an official directive, the ministry said personnel directly involved in budget preparation must remain on duty during June 6, 8, and 9, dates that fall within the scheduled Eid break.
To ensure seamless communication during this critical period, all other ministry employees have been instructed to stay accessible by phone throughout the holiday.
The federal budget will be formally presented in the National Assembly on June 10, with a detailed post-budget press conference scheduled for June 11.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is insisting on strict budget discipline, including collecting agricultural income tax through provinces by September 2025.
It opposes plans to boost power use to absorb surplus capacity, urging expenditure control and opposing provincial energy subsidies.
A US-based lender calls for tackling energy theft and smuggling and maintaining tax targets around Rs14.2 trillion, with a focus on digitization and tax reforms.
