Aseefa calls budget IMF-centric, stresses people-first economic vision

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on Thursday criticised the federal budget for being another “document of missed opportunities” aimed at pleasing the IMF, rather than addressing the genuine needs of the Pakistani people.

“I urge this House: do not let this budget ignore the soul of our people,” she said during the National Assembly’s budget debate, calling for a people-centric, pro-federation, and pro-women financial document.

She argued that budgets are not just financial tools but political statements that reveal the government’s priorities. “Economic growth means little if it doesn’t raise the dignity of the people. GDP and forex reserves don’t matter if millions remain hungry and out of school,” she added. Aseefa lamented that austerity is imposed on the poor, while the elite continues to enjoy luxuries. She called for increased investment in education and health, stressing that education is not a privilege but a human right, and must be treated as a national emergency.

While welcoming the 21pc increase in Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) allocations, she recommended linking the programme to female literacy and health insurance, arguing that no economic plan could succeed without women’s inclusion in policymaking and leadership. Her critique was accompanied by a personal grievance — Aseefa said her own constituency is suffering from 15-hour-long daily power outages.

Also addressing the House, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal underscored the urgent need for a national policy on population control, aiming to bring down the birth rate from 3.5pc to 2pc by 2030. He said 68pc of diseases are waterborne, pointing to cancer and malnutrition as direct consequences of unsafe drinking water, and called for installing water treatment plants nationwide. Kamal noted that Pakistan ranks among the highest globally for Hepatitis C and raised alarm over the poor state of public hospitals.

Saad Waseem Sheikh, Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Revenue, praised the government’s economic team for presenting a balanced budget, citing improved macroeconomic indicators. He urged for greater youth-focused allocations and recommended removing the GST on solar panels, especially for the farming community. He described the PMLN’s legacy as reviving the economy and restoring public trust in economic institutions, claiming the country is “on the right track toward a prosperous future.”

PMLN’s Naseer Abbas Sidhu supported the budget as a step toward economic reform and national sovereignty, highlighting the government’s efforts to curtail spending, reduce subsidies, and raise the tax-to-GDP ratio to 11pc.