Opposition lambastes government over mini-budget

Opposition lambastes government over mini-budget

Opposition lambastes government over mini-budget

A view of National Assembly session. Image: File

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The government on Tuesday initiated debate on mini-budget and the opposition lambasted it for presenting supplementary finance bill which is seeking imposition of Rs350 billion new taxes.
Moreover the opposition has vowed to resist the passing of supplementary finance bill on the floor of the House besides resisting this move of the government on the streets. The opposition has also asked the government to differ the mini-budget bill and bring a new bill to fulfill IMF programme.
The opposition leader in the House Mian Shehbaz Sharif while initiating debate on the mini-budget maintained that the sovereignty of Pakistan is being compromised to get loan from IMF. Moreover he also said that circular debt has reached at Rs2,700 billion despite repeatedly increasing the price of electricity.
He said a total of Rs1,700 billion extra taxes have been levied by the PTI’s government during its term and Pakistan has become the third most expensive country in the world.
He said economic independence ensures the political independency. However, he said, little bit of freedom which Pakistan had has also been surrendered by accepting terms and conditions of IMF by the government.

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He said Pakistan would be facing record high imports and budget deficit is increasing day by day due to incompetence of the government. He said the current regime is not only the most incompetent but it is the most Manhoos (creepy) government of Pakistan’s history.
He said when PML-N had left the government in 2018, the circular debt was at Rs1100 billion which has swelled to Rs2700 billion at the moment.
He said through mini-budget the government is aiming to levy taxes on formula milk of children. He said the government is also imposing taxes on bakery times, red chilies and eggs.
“Seventeen percent tax has been suggested on the raw material of medicines besides levying tax on imported items related with health care. The government has imposed tax on the machinery required for treatment of cancer and TB,” he said.
According to the opposition leader the government is also imposing tax on raw cotton besides imposing 15 percent GST on seeds. He said it is imposing tax on the tools of agriculture. He said the nation would not spare the government on these developments and it will take to the street to protest against it.
He said this is the matter of record that during PML-N’s government the urea bag price was Rs1200 which is being sold at Rs3700 now and the price of DAP which was at Rs2400 during his party term, is being sold at Rs9,000 in the black market.
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He alleged that the front-men of the government are involved in black-marketing of DAP. He asked the government to withdraw this mini-budget bill and bring a new bill pertaining to IMF programme and the opposition would provide support to the government in this connection.
He asked the government to withdraw steps based in injustices otherwise these measures would not only be resisted in the parliament but outside the streets too.
He said the president of US Bill Clinton had offered $5 billion package to former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Nawaz Sharif which he had rejected. On the other hand, he said, Imran Niazi has surrendered in front of IMF to get $1 billion. He said due to high inflation level the people of KPK have already rejected the PTI by giving it humiliating defeat in local bodies election. He said he himself had offered chartered of economy to the government which was rejected by it. He said the opposition has also been supporting the government on matters pertaining to national importance. He said the opposition extended favour to the government on the issue of FATF.
The federal minister, Asad Umar while responding to the points made by the opposition leader said that PML-N had opposed the bill regarding FATF. He said what sort of charter of economy could be signed with the opposition. He said one can understand how to do money laundering via TT from them.
He said last year the government made tax collection of Rs4700 billion while this year it is targeting to achieve tax collection amounting to Rs600 billion. He said 4.8 percent growth of economy is the target while 5 percent of growth is expected. He said during the first six month there has been increase of 28 percent in the exports. He said record sale of steel and cement was achieved last year. Moreover 2.3 million people got jobs, he further stated.
Earlier the government successfully completed large portion of the agenda of the House without facing any real resistance from opposition benches.
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The government introduced a bill to provide for establishment of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (The Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Bill, 2021). It also introduced bill the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2021.
The government also introduced bill, The Pakistan Trade Control Wild Fuana and Flora (Amendment) Bill 2021 besides introducing the Pakistan Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority Bill 2021. The government also laid a few ordinances in the National Assembly. The Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaisar chaired the sitting.

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