National Assembly (NA) on Saturday morning resumed debate on the next federal budget. Taking part in the debate Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi said that despite internal and external challenges, the government has given relief to the masses in the budget. He said that the fruits of the government’s policies will soon be visible on the lives of the people. Moreover, he said that the government has evolved long-term policies to overcome gas and electricity crisis. He also welcomed five-year tax holiday announced in the budget for the new businesses to be set up without any bank loans.
However, Chaudhry Naseer Bhutta said that the budget offers no relief measures or incentives for the people, particularly those in the agriculture sector. He said that no road map has been set in the budget to overcome the energy crisis and the revival of industrial sector. Regretting that the parliamentarians were not taken on board before the preparation of the budget, he suggested the government to amend Article 84 of the Constitution to make the budget-making process more transparent.
Gul Muhammad Jhakrani while welcoming increase in the salaries of employees and abolition of flood surcharge, asked the government to review its decision of imposing agriculture tax as he felt that it will adversely affect the farmers.
Chaudhry Saud Majeed suggested the government to set up a separate wing in the FBR to make the revenue collection system more efficient and effective. He said that special emphasis should be laid on the skill development of youth and that the private sector should be included in the process. He also said that the recommendations of the parliamentarians should be included in the final budget document. He suggested that a pre-budget session should be convened before the budget to include the inputs of the parliamentarians.
Usman Khan Advocate said no concrete steps have been taken for the implementation of Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan announced by the present government. He regretted that the commission constituted for the recovery of missing persons has also failed to come up to the expectations of the people.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi urged the government to adopt austerity measures and enhance its revenues by reforming the tax collection system to achieve self-reliance as the burgeoning debt is detrimental for the economy.
Abdul Ghani Talpur asked the government to abolish tax on fertilizers and tractors for the promotion of agriculture sector. He said the PPP government should follow the vision of its leader Benazir Bhutto and work for the welfare of the workers and laborers.
