ECC clears Rs100bn for PM Austerity Fund in key fiscal move

Pakistan's Economic Coordination Committee approved a Rs100 billion technical supplementary grant for the Prime Minister's Austerity Fund 2026 during a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad.

The committee also reviewed wheat procurement under the Interim National Wheat Policy 2025-26, with officials stressing a flexible approach that protects market stability while avoiding disruption to the broader supply chain. The discussion linked fiscal restraint with the need to preserve room for essential development spending.

The decision comes as the government tries to shield the economy from external shocks, especially pressure on fuel prices and public finances. The move signals that Islamabad is tightening expenditure controls while attempting to keep strategic projects and food-security planning on track.