Debate begins: Opposition in Senate assails govt, budget

ISLAMABAD: The federal government, Thursday, came under scathing criticism from the opposition over preparing “anti-poor” new federal budget and “excessively taxing the common man” in it.

“This budget is like a deadly poison for the common man,” remarked the Leader of the Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, as the upper house of the parliament started its debate on the proposed Finance Bill 2024.

Faraz lambasted the government for preparing anti-poor budget, excessively taxing the common man.

Referring to the proposed increase in the salaries of government employees in the new budget, the opposition leader said, increasing taxes on salaried class would end up giving no relief to them, and, instead, it would increase their financial woes in the wake of unbridled inflation.

Targeting Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for its role when Finance Bill 2024 was presented in the National Assembly earlier on Wednesday, Faraz said, “First, PPP announced that they will not join the budget session. After a while, they joined it. The PPP is no more an ideological party. It has become an opportunistic entity. It has become MQM 2.”

Taking on Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the opposition leader said, the finance minister took the wrong decision by joining this government.

“This government has no legality,” he said.

He also took on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “The ECP that takes billions of rupees annually to hold the elections—is questioning our party’s internal elections.”

He said that the ECP was not assigning the electoral symbol of bat to the PTI in the wake of upcoming local government elections in the federal capital.

Aon Abbas Bappi from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) questioned Auragnzeb’s elevation as Finance Minister, saying the latter was “completely detached” from local issues.

“Will the finance minister tell which country’s nationality did he have four months ago?” asked the lawmaker.

The finance minister, he said, had Dutch nationality which he surrendered this March.

“On the other hand, the passports of those of us who are seeking asylum abroad are being cancelled,” Bappi deplored.

“He (Aurangzeb) is completely detached from the issues concerning Pakistan’s common man. He has no idea what problems the areas like Kamoke and Rajanpur are facing— the finance minister is sitting in an air-conditioned office in Islamabad and claiming that he has done structural reforms.”

The senator claimed that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the finance minister were two “gifts to this government from someone.”

Awami National Party (ANP) chief Aimal Wali Khan said the new budget is flooded with direct and indirect taxes. “There are too many taxes in Pakistan—so, I suggest, four areas that are still untaxed should be taxed; breathing, dying, marrying and giving birth.”

The session was adjourned till Friday (June 14).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024