Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq has termed the federal budget as anti-people, with privileges for the elite class and deprivations for the 95 percent masses. "Far from being a revolutionary budget, this is yet another traditional jumble of words that aims at giving false hopes to the masses," Sirajul Haq said, while commenting on the federal budget 2014-15, which was presented on Tuesday.
He said the rulers believed that the masses were speechless and would react to the budget. However, he said, it would have been better if the government had announced a pro-poor budget. The JI chief said that electricity was the basic requirement and the budget proposed an advance tax on every household, which was sheer injustice.
He noted that the previous electricity tariff was being altered and instead, a fixed tariff of Rs 11 per unit up to three hundred units was being imposed. Similarly, the tariff on above 300 units was being raised to Rs 17 per unit and would be charged from the current month. Besides, 17 percent tax was being imposed on CNG, and sunflower and canola seeds, which would increase the prices of ghee and edible oil adding to the miseries of the poor.
On the other hand, he said, there was a proposal to withdraw 10 percent tax on motor vehicles of above 1800cc which would be a favour to the rich. JI Secretary General Liaqat Baloch described the federal budget as highly disappointing, especially for the poor workers, womenfolk and employees and pensioners. He said the budget was bound to increase poverty, unemployment and price spiral, which in turn, would increase street crimes and create anarchy.
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