By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: A delegation from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the upcoming federal budget and push for key development demands, the party said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the MQM-P spokesperson, the meeting focused on the country’s broader economic challenges as well as region-specific concerns, with a particular emphasis on Karachi and other urban centers in Sindh. During the talks, MQM-P urged the federal government to allocate Rs25 billion for Karachi and Rs10 billion for Hyderabad in the new fiscal year’s development package.
The delegation also called for special development funds for Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah and Sukkur, citing long-standing infrastructure and service gaps in these cities. Among the other demands placed on the table was the inclusion of funding for the K-IV water supply project and the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit system—two of Karachi’s most delayed but crucial public sector initiatives.
The party also advocated for tax relief for salaried individuals, proposing that the threshold for minimum annual income tax be raised from Rs600,000 to Rs1.5 million. The MQM-P said this was necessary to ease the burden on working-class families already struggling with high inflation. The Prime Minister, according to the MQM-P, assured the delegation that their concerns would be addressed “to the maximum possible extent” in the budget.
The meeting signals MQM-P’s intent to exert greater pressure on the federal government ahead of the annual budget, which is expected to be tabled later this month. As part of the ruling coalition, MQM-P’s support could prove vital for the budget’s smooth passage through parliament.
