ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Friday witnessed a mixed reaction to the budget, which declared the Treasury session pro-people and aid-oriented, with the opposition calling for a review of tax hikes on the salaried class besides providing relief to the public.
Senator Raja Nasir Abbas of MWMP continued the debate on the budget, saying that no relief was given to the poor in the budget.
He said that adequate funds were not allocated for the education and health sectors. According to him, there is no future economic plan in the budget.
He said that industrial problems should be addressed in priority areas because industry plays an important role in our country’s exports.
The increase in oil prices will cause inflation in the country, he said.
Maulana Atta ur Rehman JUI-F said that the government should come up with a public friendly budget.
Sarmad Ali of PPP said that the country is facing severe economic crisis and we have resources and financial space. Also, more than 50 percent of revenue was spent on debt servicing. A paper tax would have a negative impact on the education and newspaper industries, he said.
PML-N’s Sadia Abbasi said the government should review the increase in taxes on the salaried class and give maximum benefits to the common people in the budget.
He said, the government’s policy should support the community, business and agriculture. He also said that the government should control its expenditure.
PTI’s Dr Zarqa Suharwardy called Taimur an elitist and not a budget supporter.
He said, there has been an increase in taxes for the salaried group, especially the workers in grades 1-16.
He claimed that the budget exempted the elite class.
IPPs, MPs and the elite class are not given it, he said.
He said the government should reduce its own costs and start from its own doorstep.
He welcomed the increase in the minimum wage for workers, but the government should reduce tax rates.
Controversial PML-N’s Nasir Butt said the government has provided a people-friendly budget and despite the economic crisis, salaries and pensions of employees have increased significantly. He said it would take time to clean up the mess created by the PTI government between 2018 and 2022.
Mohsin Aziz from PTI criticized the government for raising indirect taxes instead of directly spending on the elite and rich. He said the government should take pragmatic steps to improve the tax base.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Rubina Qaim Khani, who participated in the budget debate, said that PPPs always focus on solving the problems of common people. He said his party wants to strengthen democracy and parliament.
He urged the government to provide assistance to the general public and farmers as it would improve the lives of the people.
He expressed disappointment that the PPP was not consulted during the budget preparation process and called for increased funding for the education and health sectors.
She is an advocate of efforts to empower women and minorities in the country. Hani also suggested that the government include ten specific proposals in the budget to effectively address this issue.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Fawzia Arshad said that there is a need to increase funding for education, health and development of common people. He said the government should provide more funds for the modernization of hospitals in the federal capital.
Upper House witnesses mix reaction over budget 2024-25
