Pakistan: Opposition members critical of Federal Budget

Members of the opposition reacted to the new government’s Federal Budget for 2013-14. The opposition termed the budget as not being people friendly. MQM leader Farooq Sattar spoke to the media following Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s speech in the National Assembly. Sattar termed the budget as being traditional with no concrete measures to tackle the country’s economic problems. The MQM leader also said there was no mention of how to tackle terrorism in the budget. Sattar was critical of the increase in sales tax proposed in the budget. He said that this should have been decreased not increased as it impacts the common man. According to Sattar not increasing the salaries of government employees was inexcusable. Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Pakistan Peoples Party’s Khursheed Shahcriticized the increase in sales tax and termed the federal government presented budget as not people friendly budget. Talking to media persons after the announcement of Federal Budget 2013-14 he said that increase in sales tax would affect not only the poor man living in the villages, but also in the cities. He said that salaries of government employees should have been increased in the budget. Shah added that the PML-N government should fulfill its election promises and the PPP would also protest against changing the name of Benazir Income Support Programme to Pakistan Income Support Programme. He said that they would put political pressure and public pressure on the government to not change the name. PTI leader Shireen Mazari speaking to Hamid Mir on Capital Talk, said the focus of the budget was on indirect taxes which was evident with the increase in sales tax. “This is a businessman’s budget and will increase burden on the ordinary man.”