PPP will vote for budget to avoid instability: Bilawal

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in his address to the National Assembly on Tuesday said that the time has come yet again for the annual budget discussion, the purpose of which is to help the Pakistani people emerge from the economic quagmire.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that representatives of the House have recently been elected in February, and they are aware of the actual plight of the people. The real problem is not our political narratives, statements, partisan politics or differences, nor is it the matter of who is in prison and who is not. The real issue is the basic, ‘Roti, Kapra aur Makaan’, as their only interest is the curbing of historic inflation, unemployment and poverty. The people look at the government and the opposition with the hope that they will sit together and form consensus to prioritise the solutions to the crises faced.

Bilawal said that PM Shehbaz Sharif in his previous tenure as both the PM and Opposition Leader talked about a ‘Charter of Economy’. Without such a charter and consensus, we cannot address the long-term problems Pakistan is riddled with. The charter cannot be dictated by elsewhere or be an individual decision. The government would have to talk to benches on either of its sides. We should not only send our people and the business community this message, but also to the international community that the country has devised a ten or twenty-year long economic plan to be followed by those in the government, regardless of political affiliation. This would be the first step towards economic progress.

Bilawal said that when it was first decided by the PPP to support this government and PM Sharif, an agreement took place between the two parties. According to the agreement, the budget and related decisions including the PSDP should have been made with the consultation of the PPP. Unfortunately, this prerequisite was not fulfilled and the members of the PPP believe that they would have contributed positively to the process. A consultation and resultant consensus would have produced a better outcome. Chairman Bilawal said that his advice to the PM and Finance Minister would have been to invite the allies as well as the opposition to collaborate. In this manner, those in the opposition too would contribute instead of protesting alone. This would have been a political victory as well as an economic one.

The country’s economic situation is known to all, Chairman Bilawal said. It is hoped that the PM and his team are successful in helping the country emerge from the plethora of crises. Inflation is the most pressing concern in the country, and the indicators reveal that 10kg of wheat flour five years ago would cost less than Rs. 400. Today, it costs more than Rs. 1400. Similarly, in the last five years, electricity prices for up to 50 units have gone up by at least 277 percent and petrol prices by 195 percent. Milk, edible oil and lentils have increased by 113 percent, 21 percent and 353 percent respectively. Five years ago, a joint household income of Rs. 35000 would allow families to meet their nutritional, educational and medical needs. Today, if a family has to fulfil the same needs, their joint income should increase to Rs. 70000.

Bilawal complimented the government over the slight dip seen in inflation, and hoped that the policies conducive for this change would be continued. The 27 percent increase in the Benazir Income Support Programme is appreciated as it has become the gold standard to combat poverty not only in the country but internationally. Moreover, aspects such as financial transparency and women empowerment further enhance the vital role played by the initiative. In the recently held elections in India, the opposition in its manifesto presented an initiative similar to the BISP.

Chairman PPP said that while in the government, all were aware of the dangers lurking in the country and the achievements targeted under the ‘Bajwa Doctrine’. This was the basic reason which united us, and propelled us to defend the country, despite the political consequences. These achievements included the 18th Amendment, NFC Award and the conspiracy to halt the BISP. The BISP is the sole tool for the federal government to provide relief to the people, which we witnessed during the catastrophic floods.

It is unfortunate that attempts were made to discontinue such an initiative of ours under a doctrine. The PPP will work towards attaining constitutional protection for the BISP so that no such conspiracies can be successful in the future. The poor masses and women of the country should be given the confidence that this initiative would run in the future as it is running now.

Bilawal said that the government has taken decisions regarding taxation. He said that he made attempts to highlight the positive aspects here too, but it was a difficult task. The PPP’s political philosophy revolves around progressive taxation. Every government claims that it wishes to increase the tax base and would burden the rich, not the poor. They claim that they will target mafias but provide relief to the common man. Unfortunately, we have been successful in seeing to it that all these claims are made true. If we wish to expand the tax base, we should engage in competitive taxation and not punitive taxation.