The Punjab cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, on Monday approved a Rs5,535 billion budget for the fiscal year 2025-26.

During the cabinet meeting, allocations were finalised, alongside a 10% increase in salaries for government employees and a 5% raise in pensions.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly approved the Specialized Medical Institutions Punjab 2025 Bill by a majority vote, while all proposed amendments by the opposition were rejected.

Provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari also presented the Punjab 2025 Public Awareness and Information Provision Bill in the assembly. Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan proposed several amendments to the bill.

However, the opposition strongly objected to the phased approval of multiple bills. Ejaz Shafi Dogar questioned the urgency: “What’s the rush in passing these bills? What is the government afraid of?”

Responding to the criticism, Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said, “We are even completing the projects initiated during the PTI tenure. You took years to deliver; we are doing it in months. This is the nation’s time, and we won’t let it go to waste.”