President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday stressed that the upcoming 2026–2027 federal budget should prioritise “public welfare, provincial rights and economic stability” during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Presidency said. The meeting, part of wider pre-budget consultations between major allied parties in the Centre, came a couple of days ahead of the government’s announcement to present the federal budget for FY2026–27 on June 10. A handout released after the meeting said Zardari and Shehbaz discussed the upcoming budget at the President’s House. “While discussing budget proposals and public relief, the president stressed prioritising public welfare, provincial rights and economic stability in the federal budget,” the handout said. It added that the president directed that every effort should be made to harmonise the growth rate with public welfare schemes in the upcoming budget. National security, as well as the internal and regional situation, were also discussed. The Presidency said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed the president on his recent visit to Iran and regional diplomatic engagements. Apart from the federal budget and national security, the meeting also discussed the economy, the recent Gilgit-Baltistan elections, the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, law and order, and other matters of national importance, the handout said. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah were present at the meeting. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Raja Faisal Rathore, and MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf also attended the meeting. Senator Sherry Rehman, MNA Syed Naveed Qamar, Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and Senator Ahad Cheema were also present, according to the presidency’s brief statement. On Sunday, a PPP delegation, led by party chairman Bilawal, had expressed its reservations related to taxes during a pre-budget meeting with FM Dar. During the meeting, FM Dar assured the PPP that their proposal would be incorporated into the budget. The IMF has asked the Centre to introduce at least Rs430bn worth of additional budgetary measures in the upcoming budget, alongside a nearly matching amount of Rs430bn to be generated by the four provinces. In this connection, the PPP had asked FM Dar for ways for the provinces to increase their tax revenues during the meeting. PPP leaders also opposed new taxes and hoped the government would change its approach to taxation to provide relief to inflation-hit masses, asserting that the government should prefer a broader tax base instead of exerting pressure on the same class, which is already paying taxes.