Federal Budget to increase size of begging bowl: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has described the fourth budget presented by the federal government as ‘failure’. Responding to the budget speech of the Finance Minister, he said that the government neither has its resources nor economic policies. He said that budget will increase the size of the begging bowl and result in more suicides. He said that budget has failed to spell out any solid economic vision to get rid of foreign loans and provide basic necessities of life to the masses. He said that the pensioners and the government employees were made fun of like before. He said that despite marked decrease in the prices of the POL products, its benefit has not been passed on to the masses in the real sense. He said that the prices of furnace oil went down but the electricity tariff remained the same.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that darkness of terrorism and load-shedding is increasing in the country. He said that important issues of the country are corruption, foreign loans, incompetence and terrorism and budget does not include any plan to resolve these raging issues. He said that Rs. 1500 billion, which has been set aside for debt servicing and payment of interest, is more than what has been allocated for education, health, and infrastructure together. He said that if the present rulers remain in power, the country would go bankrupt.

The PAT Chairman said that the budget prepared by foreign donors was presented in the National Assembly. He said that those spending Rs. 14,000 over one-team team are asking 60% population of the country to spend the whole month with Rs. 14,000. He said that the government set up a record by presenting a consecutive forth failed budget consisting of jugglery of words. He said that the poor would not be pleased with the announcement of hiking the prices of cars but through making food items cheaper. He said that the thieves of Panama can get the foreign loans but cannot get the international investment. He said that present rulers do not enjoy any credibility in the eyes of the Pakistani expatriate community.

Dr Qadri said that all targets of the previous fiscal year in terms of receipt of revenue, industrial and agricultural growth rates could not be met because of corruption and incompetence. He said that new claims are actually new lies, adding that ultimately the government will run its affairs with the ‘support of domestic and foreign loans’, an action whose consequence the people of Pakistan will continue to suffer for many decades to come.

Dr Qadri said that unless agriculture is made to stand on its feet, none of development targets can be met and the farmers will continue to stay on the roads due to flawed policies of the government. He said that the government employees and pensioners were given lollypop like the previous years. He said that those who served the country with the heart and soul have been left at the mercy of circumstances. He said that the only short cut to put the country back on track is to bring looted money from Swiss and Panama accounts back to Pakistan. He said that PAT will give its detailed response on the budget.