Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb Faces Backlash from Journalists During Post-Budget Press Briefing

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb held a post-budget press briefing today, accompanied by the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The session was meant to provide insights into the government’s new fiscal policies and address questions from the media regarding the recently presented budget for 2025.

However, the briefing quickly turned tense as journalists raised concerns about the cancellation of the technical briefing by the FBR, which was scheduled for the previous day. According to the journalists, this was the first time in over 20 years that a post-budget technical briefing had been cancelled, a tradition that has been maintained for two decades.

The FBR’s decision to cancel the briefing drew criticism from the media, with several reporters walking out in protest. The journalists expressed disappointment at the lack of transparency, which they felt had undermined the usual practice of providing detailed technical information after the budget was announced.

The atmosphere at the press conference was charged, as several journalists boycotted the finance minister’s briefing, refusing to participate in a session they believed lacked sufficient details and clarity. Reporters criticised the government for not honouring the long-established tradition of holding a technical briefing to explain the finer points of the budget and its implementation.

The finance minister attempted to reassure the media by addressing questions related to the budget, but the walkout and protest signalled a growing frustration among the press over what they perceived as a lack of engagement and transparency from the government.