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Monday January 20, 2025

PPP assails budget in National Assembly

"We envisioned a budget that addressed the core needs of the people of Pakistan," says Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari

By Asim Yasin & Our Correspondent
June 24, 2024
First Lady of Pakistan and MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari speaks during National Assembly session on June 23, 2024. — Facebook/AseefaBZofficial
First Lady of Pakistan and MNA Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari speaks during National Assembly session on June 23, 2024. — Facebook/AseefaBZofficial

ISLAMABAD: The first lady of Pakistan and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on Sunday took an exception to Budget 2024-25, saying that the people of Pakistan deserved a better financial plan for the next fiscal year. She expressed these views while delivering her maiden speech in the National Assembly on Sunday.

Aseefa was recognised as the first lady earlier this year in March and was later elected as the member of parliament on Shaheed Benazirabad seat, NA-207, which was vacated by her father, Asif Ali Zardari on becoming the president of Pakistan. In her opening remarks, Aseefa said it was an emotional moment for her as she addressed the assembly for the first time. “An emotional moment for me today, standing here addressing the House that both my grandparents, my parents and brother had been part of. I bow my head before Almighty Allah,” she said.

Voicing PPP’s concerns regarding the federal budget, the MNA said that the country had found itself in another challenging situation due to deteriorating economic indicators.

She said the government had presented its budget at a time when the country was facing unprecedented employment, inflation, poverty, climate change and other catastrophes.

“We envisioned a budget that could address the core needs of the people of Pakistan. A budget that did not wish to make the rich richer and poor poorer. A budget that did not seek to benefit large corporations at the expense of vulnerable of our society,” Aseefa added.

She asked if the federal budget met the expectations of masses, adding that the budget 2024-25 did not represent the people of Pakistan. She said the budget should have prioritised the welfare of farmers, labourers and working class, and sought to lessen the gap of wealth and inequality.

“Do the people of Pakistan deserve this anti-people budget?” she asked, adding that all stakeholders must work together to do better for citizens and provide relief to downtrodden segments of the society.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Shazia Marri came down hard on the finance minister for not honouring the words of parliament saying her village was out of electricity even on the Eid Day. She asked the minister not to blame consumers for excessive load-shedding of up to 20 hours.

Minister for Power Awais Khan Leghari, on behalf of the electricity distribution company concerned, apologized to Shazia Marri and hoped that it would not happen again.

Syed Khursheed Shah called for proper planning for population which was bound to increase to 400 million in one decade. “Our resources are depleting with increase in population while there also problems in education and health sectors,” he said. Khursheed Shah also opposed taxation on salaried class saying that such increase in taxes would make 22 to 25 percent raise in salaries ineffective. He pointed out that debt on each Pakistani has increased from Rs32,000 in 2008 to Rs274,000 with increase in external and internal debts on the country.

Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani suggested withdrawing tax on life saving drugs. He, however, welcomed the tax on luxury items. He urged all the politicians to shun their differences and sit together on the table to evolve a joint strategy in order to steer the country out of crises.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday decided to jointly oppose the planned Azm-e-Istehkam operation and the federal budget.

Ex-speaker and PTI leader Asad Qaiser met JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence and discussed with him the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. They also decided to jointly play an effective role as opposition in the National Assembly.

It was also decided to establish a political committee which will work to remove reservations between the two parties and chalk out future political strategy.

During the meeting, the two sides observed that an operation was not a solution to improve law and order situation, rather it were the political parties that would have to play a role for peace in the province. The two leaders, while terming the budget IMF-centric and anti-people, rejected it, a statement issued by the PTI said.

They also decided to play their role in establishing brotherly relations with Afghanistan saying they desire friendly ties with the neighbouring country. They also demanded establishment of economic corridors at crossing points with Afghanistan, saying that trade activity would bring economic stability in the region.

PTI’s deputy secretary information Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai was also present in the meeting.