Lahore, June 24, 2026: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) welcomes and appreciates the robust parliamentary scrutiny of the Federal Budget 2026-27 undertaken by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, describing it as an important step towards strengthening Parliament’s constitutional role in public financial oversight.
PILDAT notes with appreciation that the Standing Committee on Finance, Under the Chairmanship of Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA, devoted substantial time and effort to the examination of the Budget, holding a series of detailed meetings to review budgetary proposals, hear views from government officials, stakeholders and experts, and scrutinize taxation and expenditure measures before their consideration by the National Assembly. This level of engagement reflects a growing recognition of the central role parliamentary committees must play in ensuring accountability, transparency and informed fiscal decision-making.
The Committee’s work demonstrates the importance of moving beyond a purely plenary debate on the Budget towards a more systematic, evidence-based and committee-led review process. Parliamentary committees are uniquely positioned to undertake detailed examination of budget proposals, assess their implications and make recommendations that can improve both the quality of legislation and the management of public finances. 
PILDAT also commends the Honourable Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, for facilitating a parliamentary environment that enabled meaningful committee scrutiny of the Budget. The Speaker’s support for strengthening the committee system and enhancing Parliament’s oversight functions has contributed significantly to reinforcing democratic accountability and improving the quality of legislative review.
PILDAT has consistently advocated for greater parliamentary involvement in the budget process and has, over the years, recommended that standing committees be given adequate time, technical support and institutional capacity to examine budget proposals in detail. The experience of the Federal Budget 2026-27 demonstrates the positive impact such scrutiny can have on the budget-making process and on Parliament’s ability to represent the interests of citizens.
PILDAT congratulates the members of the Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, its Chairperson and the National Assembly Secretariat for their contribution to this important exercise in parliamentary oversight and hopes that the experience of Budget 2026-27 will serve as a benchmark for future budget scrutiny processes and contribute to the continued strengthening of Parliament’s role in safeguarding the public purse.