The National Assembly on Sunday approved 18 demands for grants worth Rs 96,860,622,000 (Rs 96.86 billion) for the fiscal year 2026-27, after rejecting 90 cut motions moved by opposition members.

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb moved the demands, which were passed by the House through a majority vote.

According to the approved grants, the National Assembly authorised Rs 709,505,000 for the Cabinet, Rs 5,941,454,000 for the Cabinet Division, and Rs 1,796,674,000 for Emergency Relief and Repatriation.

The House also approved Rs 895,499,000 for the Prime Minister’s Office (Internal), Rs 921,203,000 for the Prime Minister’s Office (Public), and Rs 1,048,376,000 for the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Furthermore, lawmakers approved Rs 858,109,000 for the Board of Investment, Rs 199,842,000 for the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and Rs 952,481,000 for the Special Technology Zone Authority.

The Assembly sanctioned Rs 205,225,000 for the National Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing Terrorism Authority and Rs 250,225,000 for the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority.

Among the major allocations, Rs 10,177,181,000 was approved for the Establishment Division, while the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) received Rs 1,473,723,000.

The House also approved Rs 3,514,750,000 for the National School of Public Policy and Rs 2,087,757,000 for the Civil Services Academy.

In addition, Rs 117,902,000 was allocated for the Council of Common Interest Secretariat and Rs 354,365,000 for the Special Investment Facilitation Council Division (SIFCD).

The largest allocation approved by the House was Rs 63,516,151,000 for the Development Expenditure of the Cabinet Division.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry responded to a wide range of questions and objections raised by lawmakers regarding budget allocations, institutional reforms, investment policy, disaster management and political matters. He said that concerns regarding budget figures had already been addressed in the House, adding that allocations were reviewed in line with rising costs and administrative requirements. He maintained that no unjustified increase had been made in the budget, as inflation and operational expenses were taken into account in financial planning.

The minister highlighted reforms in recruitment and competitive examination systems, stating that the duration of public service examinations and result processing had been reduced from 18–20 months to around eight to nine months under recent improvements.

Referring to investment facilitation, he said institutional reforms were introduced to attract foreign direct investment and improve coordination across sectors.

He added that billions of dollars in investment had already been facilitated in the industry, minerals and infrastructure sectors.

He further said Pakistan was expected to attract additional investment inflows in the coming period due to evolving regional geopolitical developments, including the situation in the Middle East and relations among Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

On disaster management, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) had played an effective role in responding to natural disasters across the country in coordination with provincial and district authorities.

He said that NDMA had strengthened forecasting and early warning systems through modern technology, helping reduce losses during major disasters. Referring to the 2025 floods, he said that more than 1,000 deaths were reported and compensation had already been provided to affected families.

Responding to criticism over road conditions in Punjab, he said he did not agree with the negative assessment, adding that development work in the province should be viewed in a broader context.

He said that issues related to farmers, students, industry and public services were being addressed and approvals from relevant authorities would be issued soon. He expressed the confidence that ongoing governance measures would improve service delivery.

On political matters, he said state institutions could not revolve around any single individual, stressing that governance continues irrespective of political leadership changes. He added that dialogue remained an important policy option and the government supported engagement for political stability.

During his remarks, he also appreciated governance initiatives in Punjab and lauded efforts related to public service delivery. He further made critical remarks about opposition conduct in the House.