'Economic hitman': PTI says federal budget against 'nation, country's interest'

**ISLAMABAD:** The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has criticized the federal government's 2024-25 budget presented in the National Assembly last week, calling it detrimental to the country's interests.

“This budget was made by an economic hitman,” declared Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan during his address on the National Assembly floor on Thursday.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led coalition government has set a daunting tax revenue target of 13 trillion rupees ($46.66 billion) for the fiscal year starting July 1, a nearly 40% increase from the current year, aiming to bolster the case for a new bailout deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The ambitious revenue targets for the fiscal year through June 2025, presented by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on June 12, align with analyst expectations. Total spending is projected at 18.87 trillion rupees ($68 billion).

Discussing the budget's challenging targets, Ayub stated that investors are reluctant to invest in countries where the rule of law is not upheld.

He mentioned that the IMF had advised the government to consult all stakeholders to build consensus on the federal budget.

“The wings of this finance minister [Muhammad Aurangzeb] have been clipped,” Ayub claimed, accusing the government of presenting misleading economic figures.

He further criticized the economic survey for 2023-2024, calling it deceitful, and highlighted substantial increases in unemployment and inflation, along with a decline in per capita income.

Responding to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vow to eradicate corruption, Ayub dismissed the statement, saying: “The pot calling the kettle black,” noting that PM Shehbaz, despite facing National Accountability Bureau (NAB) cases, pledged to fight corruption.

He suggested that true accountability should start with the Sharif family's Hudaibiya Paper Mills, London flats, and sugar mills cases, insisting that the government is entrenched in corruption and alleging that the PTI's mandate was stolen in the February 8 elections.

**'Revolution'**

In a Senate session, PTI lawmaker Ali Zafar argued that the budget for the next fiscal year is unworkable amidst the country's political polarization.

"This budget cannot work until the stolen mandate is returned," he stated, blaming the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the current political crisis.

"The budget has been imposed upon the people due to the ECP, hence I challenge the legitimacy of this budget."

Senator Zafar warned that the heavy taxation proposed in the budget could lead to a "revolution" in the country. Drawing parallels with historical unrest caused by heavy taxation, he noted that excessive taxes had led to the burning of parliament in the UK and triggered revolutions in the US and France. He predicted a similar outcome if the proposed taxes are approved.