Opposition says govt has no economic roadmap or policy

ISLAMABAD: The opposition rejected the mini-budget presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday and said that the government had no economic roadmap or policy.

“The second mini-budget in six months shows the government incompetence in the economic front and it was the first government that came up with two mini-budgets in a span of six months of its tenure,” PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said while reacting to the government’s amendments in the Finance Act.

Talking to media persons outside the Parliament House along with the PPP leader Naveed Qamar, Ahsan Iqbal said the government has failed to achieve its economic targets fixed in the previous mini-budget. “The government’s economic policies led the country into a debt trap and economic quagmire,” he said.

Ahsan Iqbal said the government was going country to country with a begging bowl. The PML-N spokesperson, Marriyum Aurangzeb, said it was a day of joy for the tax evaders who have been given free pass to black money.

She said that after the mini-budget, legal protection was given to tax evaders and black economy. “Relief has been given to the auto industry as promised by Prime Minister Imran Khan and his Finance Minister Asad Umar as now tax evaders can buy cars of 1800CC and house over Rs5 million,” she said, adding that those who talk about the state of Madina did not care to reduce the prices of milk for infants.

Marriyum said there was no relief announced for the agriculture sector and it was strange that the ratio of income tax was reduced on bank loans for the agriculture sector. She alleged that the finance minister has close association with the fertiliser sector and today they will be happy with the relief announced for them.

“If the government wanted to give relief to farmers, then it should be given directly to them rather than through fertiliser companies,” she said. She asked if the tax relief was to be implemented from July 1, then what was the need to announce the relief now.