ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah said that the government has burdened the poor with excess tax while speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday.
Shah further went on to criticise the budget as being ‘anti-poor’ adding that the budget has contributed to the problems faced by the people hailing from unprivileged backgrounds.
The government has imposed Rs300 billion tax on the poor, he said remarking that the increase in petrol price will increase troubles of the ordinary citizens. “You have to pay Rs300 tax over 10-liter petrol,” he shared.
The government is not willing to impose taxes on the wealthy, he said. “We conducted a survey which showed that 3 million people can be included in the tax net.”
While comparing the economies of India and Pakistan, Shah said that 60 million people pay taxes in India, adding that about 5% people are included in the tax net. “On the other hand, why can’t 5% of people pay taxes in Pakistan?”
Speaking about the sasti roti (low-cost bread) project in Punjab, he shared that the project was quite good. “Why did Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz closed it after winning elections? Why aren't the poor being given bread at a low cost?"
This short-lived fame will be the death of us, he added.
He also remarked that politics is not dirty rather it is the politicians which make it dirty.
Speaking the National Assembly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Asad Umar said nothing has changed, explaining that the power shortfall in the country in 2013, when the incumbent federal government took over, was 7,000MW — the same as now.
Umar stated that the circular debt is roaring at Rs500 billion whereas the incumbent government’s tenure saw an increase of Rs12 trillion in the national debt.
He also criticised the presentation of the 2018-19 budget from a person who has not been elected to office.