Budget session: PML-N’s Shehbaz batters PTI govt for presenting ‘fake budgets’, says 20mn Pakistanis face extreme poverty

The PML-N leader said in the last three years, the PTI government had imposed many taxes due to which the poor people are even unable to avail their full meals a day. 

Masses in the country came across hunger and hopelessness because of previous budgets, he said, adding that the budget 2021-2022 would further push inflation and the poor would suffer more.

"Around 20 million people have fallen below the poverty line in these three years. Income has been reduced by 20 per cent. People are asking where are the 10.5 million jobs? As a result of these fake budgets, 5 million people have lost their jobs."

Shehbaz claimed that posh housing projects had also been included in government housing schemes aimed at poor people. "What is bigger fudging and deception than this?" he questioned.

He said 15 per cent unemployment had been combined with 16 per cent inflation, asking whether "anyone had imagined that a man would sleep hungry in Riasat-e-Madinah".

"They (the rulers) say we will create Naya Pakistan. It is obvious that the old Pakistan was better when the country was somehow made to progress," he said.

The PM-N stalwart listed several demands from the government, vowing that the opposition would "stand like a wall and we will not let this budget pass" if the "storm of inflation" worsened.

He pointed out that there was a "lack of trust" among provinces and between the provinces and the federal government, claiming that such differences are unprecedented.

"If only Punjab makes progress and the rest of Pakistan doesn't, then it is not progress," he opined.

Shehbaz said instead of solving issues like food inflation, the PTI government had spent the time "taking revenge from the opposition".

He said nobody was saying that accountability should not happen but "fairness should be the benchmark" for it.

'Covid-19 pandemic mishandled' 

Shehbaz also criticised the PTI government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying "the entire opposition termed Covid as a 'national emergency' which they and the government would tackle together after setting aside our differences."

He recalled that National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser had then called a conference which was also attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan. "We were all united on this but the prime minister left after his speech. Was there something more important than Covid?"

The Rs1.2 trillion package to deal with the coronavirus that was announced by the government also "fell victim to incompetence and negligence", Shehbaz said.

China and other countries gave us vaccines as gifts but did we have to start (the vaccination campaign) with just gifts? What did you (the government) do in the space you got between the waves of the virus?" he questioned.

NA rumpus and govt handling

Terming a series of abuses and brawls in the NA's budget session as disaster for democratic norms, Shehbaz said to develop consesus among the parliamentarians is the responsibility of the prime minister, adding the bring unanimity requires lot of patience and courage.

"I invited all of you to stay united for the sake of the country's progress as I feel no shame in consulting anyone for the purpose." 

'Political victimisation'        

Lamenting the government, the opposition leader said it had devoted its energy to revenge instead of accountability. "The Opposition has been subjected to the worst kind of revenge."

"PPP's Khurshid Shah, his son, and PML-N's Khawaja Asif remain behind bars till date," he said.