Thanks Allah that the budget session is over. Three days of celebrations finished with post budget press conference. Special transmissions are over and we are back to normal. Heartiest congratulations to Yousaf Raza Gilani and his mentor Asif Ali Zardari for setting a milestone in the history of Pakistan for presenting 5th budget.
This will go down in the history of Pakistan as an impossible deed come true. The budget was crap. Revision and reduction of duties and taxes on component of medicines and few other things will hardly matter to the common man.
Power outages, sky rocketing prices of basic eatables, mismanagement in almost all public utilities, corruption and lawlessness are there as they were, if not enhanced in these days. This budget festival was well guarded by Mehreen Raja at the NA, when she stood besides Hafiz Sheikh replacing Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Mehreen looks like a judo player anyway whereas Pervaiz has recently dyed his hair and was wearing a new necktie after some 16 months of hibernation. Increase and decrease of duties and taxes, exemptions and increase is salaries can only bring illegitimate support of the players in the government in forthcoming national elections.
It will not bring even an iota of benefit to the suffering poor. Budget was a festival; it was a formality and something for PPP candidates to speak on in public rallies, else it was nothing but a piece of crap. Yes, 70 billion more in Benazir Income Support to make the ailing nation beggars even in 5th year. Well done the lovers of democracy and constitution. Poor Fozia is critically ill and cannot appear on TV to give you all a pat on the back. Wait till she returns. Meantime, take the services of Mehreen, Sharmila and Shazia after all they are not bad looking.
AMJAD H MIRZA
Lahore
