Tahir Amin Published about 2 hours ago ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday warned that additional revenue measures of up to Rs 500 billion would be taken next fiscal year, if enabling amendments and legislation on enforcement were not passed by parliament, adding that all the budget figures were locked with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This he stated while addressing the post-budget press briefing which began with journalists from the independent media staging a walkout in protest against the Federal Board of Revenue’s failure to provide the traditional technical briefing on the Finance Bill 2025-26 after the budget speech. Finance Minister flanked by FBR Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial and Secretary Finance continued the post-budget press briefing despite the boycott. Budget 2025-26: Pakistan targets 4.2% growth as Aurangzeb presents proposals ‘for a competitive economy’ Information Minister Ataullah Tarar was summoned to clear the air with the protesting journalists who tendered an apology with the assurance that the technical briefing would be held prompting independent journalists to end their boycott and rejoin the press conference after more than half an hour. The minister said, strengthened enforcement mechanisms have helped the federal government generate over Rs400 billion in additional revenues this fiscal year. He noted that while international stakeholders had previously doubted Pakistan’s ability to implement tax laws effectively, the government had demonstrated that meaningful enforcement is possible. He said, tax-to-GDP ratio was projected to reach 10.4 percent this year and to 10.9 percent in fiscal year 2025-26. Of the Rs2.2 trillion targeted in overall revenue, only Rs312 billion is expected from new taxes, with the remainder stemming automatically from growth and enforcement. “We have two ways — either we ensure enforcement or we introduce additional measures of up to Rs 400 to 500 billion. This is why we will go to the parliament to help us out with the enabling amendments and legislation,” said the minister, adding that they needed enabling amendments and legislation to plug leakages in the…