Saif says Centre drops ‘petrol bomb’ on people

PESHAWAR: Adviser to Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Tuesday accused the federal government of “dropping a petrol bomb” on the public ahead of the new fiscal year.

In a statement, he said the federal budget imposed an additional 2.5 per cent tax on petroleum products, warning that prices would soar once the new financial year began in July. “With every rise in fuel prices, the cost of essential food items shoots up,” he added.

Calling the national budget “anti-poor and pro-elite,” the adviser claimed that the Punjab budget followed the same pattern, and completely ignored the agricultural sector and offered no relief to farmers.He said that flawed federal policies caused Punjab’s cultivators an estimated Rs2,200 billion loss, adding that only “commission-driven” projects received priority.

He said that, unlike Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab “failed to muster the courage” to provide free healthcare. “If Punjab faces difficulty in extending health facilities, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stands ready to assist,” he added.

Barrister Saif warned that the taxes and levies on petroleum products, along with surcharges on electricity would unleash a new wave of inflation. “The poor will be crushed as the budget was framed to protect elite interests and offered nothing for low-income citizens,” he remarked. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government presented a tax-free, welfare-oriented budget, prioritizing social sector schemes.