Multan (Special Correspondent) – A post-budget seminar on the Federal Budget 2025–26 was held at the School of Economics, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan, under the leadership of Professor Dr. Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh, Director of the School. The seminar brought together academics, industry representatives, and policy experts to analyze the implications of the new budget and propose forward-looking reforms.
President of the Multan Chamber of Commerce, Mian Bakhtawar Tanveer Sheikh, welcomed the imposition of excise duties on luxury items such as sugary drinks and cigarettes. He termed it a “progressive step” towards revenue enhancement and public health improvement. However, he expressed concerns about the transparency of the tax system and emphasized the need for broadening the tax net through new mechanisms like the Faceless Audit and AI-based compliance tools.
In his keynote address, Professor Dr. Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh provided a critical analysis of Pakistan’s growing debt burden. He questioned the government’s debt management strategy and called for clearer efforts to reduce reliance on both internal and external borrowing. He also stressed the urgency of reforming state-owned enterprises (SOEs), advocating for performance-based and transparent privatization processes to restore investor confidence.
Highlighting the role of agriculture in the economy, Professor Dr. Zahid Fareedi called for farmer-centric policies including easier access to agricultural credit, adoption of modern farming technologies, and improvements in the supply chain. He lauded the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) for its outreach and proposed linking it with healthcare, education, and women empowerment programs.
Addressing the energy crisis, Professor Dr. Syeda Azra Batool outlined the pressing issues of circular debt and inefficiencies in power distribution. She emphasized the need for investments in renewable energy and structural reforms in electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), alongside tariff adjustments that support domestic industries and boost exports.
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Dr. Hina Ali, Chairperson of the Department of Economics at Women University Multan, focused on the social sector, calling for strengthened preventive healthcare systems and meaningful education reforms. She stressed the importance of effective teacher training, enhanced scholarship programs, and a shift towards skills-based education to ensure that budgetary allocations translate into real improvements.
Muhammad Yousuf Siddiqui, Vice Chairman of ICMA Pakistan (Multan Branch), drew attention to the country’s water crisis. He advocated for efficient water resource management, construction of new dams, and adoption of water-saving technologies. He also underscored the importance of timely execution, transparency, and accountability in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The seminar concluded with a consensus on the need for policy continuity, transparency, and institutional reforms to achieve sustainable economic growth.
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