—Oppose ‘Mini-Budget’ approval
—Say Govt putting Pakistan ‘at stake’ for ‘mere $1bn’
— Ask PM to ease lives of Farmers
By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hit hard government over new taxes and Farmers’ plight on Tuesday during NA session.
Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif and Asad Umar traded barbs, with the former claiming that the country’s economy was being pawned away for $1 billion and the latter slamming the PML-N for leaving the economy in dire straits.
The exchange took place on the floor of the NA as the House began a debate on the controversial Finance (Supplementary) Bill, generally known as the mini-budget.
The bill is one of the requirements Pakistan has to meet under the programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in July 2019. If passed, the legislation will pave the way for the disbursement of a $1bn tranche.
As the matter was taken up for debate in the NA, Shehbaz questioned how it was possible for the country to be an atomic power on one hand and be holding a begging bowl in the other.
“The finance minister had said that Imran Khan would stand up to the IMF […] he had said that a mini-budget would not be introduced and that there would be a tax-free budget. But seven months later, what has happened?”
He said that the PTI government only excelled in making U-turns. He said that taxes worth Rs350 billion were being imposed on the people who were already facing inflation and unemployment.
Assailing the government, the PML-N president said that the ruling PTI had drowned the country’s economy and was also endangering its security.
He called on the government to withdraw the controversial finance bill. “We have our political differences … but bring another bill and we will support that.”
Shehbaz warned that the opposition would protest in the house and “on the roads” if the government tried to bulldoze such a bill. “They are selling out Pakistan’s economy and freedom for $1bn.”
He said that a nation that was habitual of begging could never progress. “Handouts, aid and dole outs will never be able to strengthen a society and make it stand on its own two feet … for that you have to work hard.”
He said that the PTI used to claim that it couldn’t see any poverty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, their recent defeat in the local government elections must have opened their eyes, he said.
Shehbaz said that the country’s citizens don’t have money to pay their children’s school fees, but the ruling party was oblivious to the issues being faced by the middle-class.
“The day is not far where a horde of people, frustrated due to poverty, unemployment and inflation, will descend and sweep away the country’s most inefficient and corrupt government.”
He accused the government of ignoring the opposition’s input due to “ego”. “They consider themselves Einstein.”
Giving the example of bills related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Shehbaz said the opposition had set aside differences and supported the government on multiple occasions in the wider interest of the country.
“But in return slogans of ‘robbers and dacoits’ were raised [against us],” he said, adding that this “polluted the society”.
Meanwhile, Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked Prime Minister Imran Khan to mend his ways and avoid terrorizing the farmers.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he said that urea is being sold at Rs. 3500 per bag in the black market instead of the official price of Rs. 1768. He said, one bag of urea in Punjab, on one identity card is being sold at Rs. 2700 after recommendation by the deputy commissioner.
Bilawal Bhutto was of the view that Pakistan used to sell urea all over the world in PPP era and today the entire country is looking for urea. If urea had been made available to farmers before the rains across the country, there would have been an increase in crop production, he said.
He announced that the PPP will hold rallies from January 21 against oppression of farmers across the country. The farmers belonging to the PPP will come out in solidarity with the farmer community.
“Imran Khan has committed economic terrorism by destroying the agricultural sector of an agricultural country which will not be forgiven at any cost. DAP fertilizer is being sold at Rs. 10000 per bag instead of Rs. 4600. The DAP fertiliser was Rs. 3500 per bag during the PPP government,” he said.
Chairman PPP said that there is no water for growers in Punjab and it costs Rs, 600 per hour to operate a tube well. It will not be possible for a grower to produce wheat at government price. The Sindh government has set the wheat price at Rs. 2200 per mound whereas Punjab has set the price at Rs. 1950/mound.
He said, the cost of production per acre has increased after increase in prices of power, diesel, and pesticides so the support price in Punjab should be increased. He said that the prime minister had joined Germany and Japan geographically and one of his ministers has now joined Sindh’s border with Afghanistan and has accused the Sindh government of smuggling Afghanistan from that border.
Maize cultivation will start in 20 days, if urea, nitrophosphate and DAP fertilizer are not available then a food crisis will emerge in the country, Bilawal Bhutto warned.
