PPP leaders slate Federal government, budget

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party leaders holding a press conference at Zardari House Islamabad on Sunday evening have said that the PTI government in Pakistan is like an epidemic and Pakistan is engulfed in multiple crises.

Secretary Information PPPP Dr. Nafisa Shah, spokesman to the Chairman PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Senator Rubina Khalid, Tariq Shah MNA and Nazir Dhoki were present at the press conference.

Dr. Nafisa Shah said that Pakistan did not need a traditional budget this year because of Covid-19 which is the biggest threat to the lives of Pakistani people. She said that the budget should have been a peoples’ budget and in the interest of the people. She said that this budget was abhorred by every sector in Pakistan because it failed to address the real issues.

The government gave wrong statistics despite the fact that the pandemic will remain in Pakistan God knows for how long. She said that the government disappointed employees by not increasing their wages. No relief was given to the poor people of Pakistan and the government has Rs. 450 billion indirect taxes.

Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said that the government should have allocated funds to deal with Covid-19 and should have also given more health budget to the provinces so that the patients could be looked after. No relief package was announced for health workers. The Prime Minister always followed the countries which messed up their fight against Covid-19. He said that an individual has been imposed on Pakistan who is not capable of running the country or putting the economy on the right track.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that yesterday an APC was held in Peshawar where very important decisions have been taken. She said that it is very unfortunate that the people who have made this federal budget will also make the budget for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The health system in KP is in tatters and oxygen is not available in hospitals in KP.

Tariq Shah MNA said that the government is putting people in misery instead of providing them relief. This budget has nothing for government employees and the poor people of Pakistan. The government has deducted up to 12% from the share of provinces. He also said that the government has totally ignored the agriculture sector and the food security is under threat.