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Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has urged Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government to take the Parliament into confidence on tax amnesty scheme and negotiations with International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout package.
PPP Parliamentary Leader Senator Sherry Rehman said, "The finance minister has left for the IMF meetings without taking the Parliament into confidence, despite our regular demands to brief public representatives who are facing a terrible barrage of questions from the people."
She said that the finance minister gave preference to TV and digital platforms to convey his confusing messages instead of taking the Parliament into confidence. She claimed that instead of stabilising economy, the government is creating more uncertainty and confusion. She said that the markets are in a cloud of uncertainty and volatility due to this bizarre and schizophrenic messaging.
"He has already said that the public should expect harsher measures in the days to come, and in this new era of complete non-transparency, the government looks like it has been on an IMF prescribed path for several pains as it inflicts utility price bomb after price bomb on the people.
Is the 'Tabdeeli' Naya Pakistan was about? By constantly hiding from the people the harsh economic plan, they are imposing on an unsuspecting public without disclosing to the Parliament their details? Everyday petroleum, gas and other prices are going up but the government just says you will scream some more from the pain. It holds the opposition accountable but refuses to be answerable itself to anyone except external actors and lenders," lamented Ms Rehman.
Following the government's announcement to introduce a new tax amnesty scheme, the PPP vice-president said in a statement on Tuesday, "The government says its strategy focuses on fiscal discipline but then goes on to offer incentives for staying outside the tax net. The FBR is facing Rs 318 billion shortfall.
Instead of broadening the tax base or improving collections, they are relying on old tax whitening schemes which reward the rich and penalise the poor. On this front the Sindh government has outperformed the centre."
Taking note of the findings in the new World Bank report which paints a grim outlook for the economy forecasting low GDP and high inflation in the coming years, she said, "They never seem to have their priorities sorted and there is a clear preference for settling political scores while economic policies are put on the backburner."
She said that the World Bank report has forecasted a sharp dip in the GDP growth from 5.8 percent in FY18 to 3.4 percent in FY19. More worryingly, the report, taking into account the government's policies, predicted growth slowing down to 2.7 percent in FY20 which will be the lowest in South Asia.
Meanwhile, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the spokesman to the Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has said that the government has to reveal the terms of the agreement it has made with the IMF. He said that the PTI government cannot be allowed to play with the country's destination.
Fawad Chaudhary should answer why the agreement is not being revealed if it has no anti-people terms and conditions, he said. In reaction to Fawad Chaudhary's press conference, Senator Khokhar said that the government has made a habit out of misleading and misinforming the nation.
He said that the PTI government is trying to hide its incompetence by constantly blaming the opposition. He said that the people await another wave of price hike which will cause further destruction and the real meaning of PM select's "tsunami" is now crystal clear. Senator Khokhar concluded by saying that the immature attitude and statements of PTI cabinet members are of no help to the nation as it is no longer under the spell of a so called "Naya Pakistan".
Meanwhile, Former Chairman Senate and PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bokhari said that the PTI government is degrading the Parliament by not taking it into confidence about the tax amnesty scheme and negotiations with IMF for bailout package. He said that there is zero legislation of the PTI government.
He said that there is a huge economic crisis in the country but the government is not taking any solid measures in this regard. He claimed that only the rulers and their investor partners are becoming stronger. "The food items have been removed from the reach of the people. The prices of medicines have been increased manifold," he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019

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