Zardari calls for end to accountability, arrests

ISLAMABAD: Former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari Thursday called on the government to end to the accountability and arrests in order to 'move forward'.

Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, Zardari thanked the opposition parties and the government coalition parties for backing his production order.

Criticising the budget presented by the government last week, the former president said the budget raised government salaries, but it had also increased taxes. “There is fear among the businessmen. If you have more than Rs500,000 in your cheque book, then you receive a notice to give an explanation for it. There is no doubt that this budget was not made by them,” he said.

Drawing the attention of the House to pests damaging the crops in Sindh, Zardari said, “If this was happening somewhere else, then we would have received aid from Saudi Arabia by now.”

“If we are receiving money from the IMF, why are the people crying? Why are the industries crying?” Zardari questioned.

He added that the current economic situation was an issue for everyone and that the government and opposition should sit together to discuss the issues affecting the economy. “It is time to stop the accountability and arrests and move forward,” he said.

“My arrest will not make a difference. It will only strengthen the party. However, it will create fear among the common man that if Zardari can be arrested then they can also be arrested,” he added. The former president added that the government should avoid taking steps that could trigger countrywide protests and create a situation that would no longer be in control of the political parties.

“They should think about this and the forces that brought them into power should also think about the consequences," he said.

Earlier, while speaking to reporters at the Parliament House, Zardari accused the PTI led government of blackmailing the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

When asked by a reporter if he had any reservations against the government appointing NAB Deputy Chairman Hussain Asghar as the head of the commission of inquiry, the PPP co-chairman remarked: "We have reservations on everyone from top to bottom."

The former president said that his hopes were high despite being behind bars. He said that political forces had to unite to force the incumbent government out of power. "If political forces do not step forward, other forces will," he warned.

Former finance minister Asad Umar in his speech on the budget demanded withdrawal of taxes on the essential commodities and giving relief to the lower and middle class people.

Asad Umar said it was not appropriate to impose tax on sugar, the prices of which had already increased considerably. “The government should withdraw tax on sugar and it should also be investigated as to why the price of sugar is on the rise,” the former finance minister, who fell short of presenting first budget of the PTI government, said.

Asad Umar told the sitting finance managers that sugar is the commodity which is consumed more by the labour class as diet while it is used by the upper class only when they enjoy sweet dish.

The PTI parliamentarian was also not happy with the budget proposals pertaining to increase in taxes on edible oil and ghee recommending the adviser on finance to withdraw taxes on these essential commodities.

He advised the government that taxes imposed on sugar, edible oil and ghee would have very meagre contribution in collection of taxes, therefore, there was no need to continue with the same proposal in the federal budget.

Asad Umar, while appreciating the finance team for presenting budget in a difficult situation, expressed hope that his government would stand with the lower and middle class and confront the elite which in the past had been influencing policy making.

“We have promised to give justice to the people of which economic justice is the most important segment,” he said.

The PTI parliamentarian also asked his government to increase pension in the head of Employees Old Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) by 10 to 15 percent in view of price hike and inflation. Asad Umar was of the view that the government should also withdraw increase on tax on the total turnover in order to encourage new investment. “The government should also consider doing away with zero rating for export industry in order to maintain confidence of the exporters in its policies,” he said.

He also maintained that the PTI government would take difficult decisions to improve the national economy.

“When we take difficult decisions, we will also have to face reaction,” he said.

However, the former finance minister appreciated terms and conditions reached with the IMF, saying conditions were much softer than demands of IMF when negotiations were started with them in October-November last. He revealed that the IMF at start of negotiations put forward five conditions. The IMF team wanted the PTI government to increase electricity and gas tariffs by 50 percent and 94 percent, respectively. Instead, he said the electricity tariffs have been increased by Rs1.49 per unit for consumers using electricity over 300 units. Asad Umar said the IMF team also conditioned its programme with free float of currency rate where at the Pakistan government opted for flexible exchange rate policy. He went on to say that the IMF team also wanted interest rate of banks at from 9 percent to 15 percent and then to 22 percent gradually.

“The conditions accepted by Pakistan to get Fund’s programme is not one tenth of tough conditions which the IMF team wanted at start of negotiations,” he said.

The PTI parliamentarians while coming harsh on attitude of the opposition parties said they must be ashamed of their deeds. He however said accountability on political basis is not good.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended proceedings of the House for brief time when Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan was delivering his speech. The minister went unleashing criticism against top leaders of the opposition parties only to see smile on face of the prime minister. The prime minister kept on smiling while hearing protest from the opposition benches during the minister’s speech.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan said it was discretion of the speaker to issue production orders of any member of the House but he should not have facilitated the criminals who looted the national exchequer with both hands to attend proceedings.

The minister said Sharifs claim that they never asked for NRO but to the contrary, they tendered apology to Pervez Musharraf and left the country after signing a deal also having signatures of guarantor.

He wished that he could have spoken in presence of the opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif in the House. He lauded the prime minister for constituting a commission on foreign and domestic loans taken so far by different governments.

Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh of the PML-N criticised the government’s economic policies saying these have resulted in depreciation of rupee. He said the government should support the industries to enhance exports.

Ghous Bux Khan Mahar of Grand Democratic Alliance said efforts should be made to improve law and order situation in Sindh.

Naveed Qamar of the PPP said it is appreciable that the government has increased the budget of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) but said that more steps need to be taken to protect the poor segments of the society. He said increase in the taxes on CNG and LNG will add to the woes of common man.

Minister for Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood said the PML-N and the PPP are responsible for leaving the economy in dire straits. He said fascism and attacking judiciary are the hallmarks of the PML (N). He said the people have not yet forgotten the Model town tragedy in which innocent people were killed.

Shafqat Mehmood said the previous governments also did not pay any attention to improve the health and education systems in the country.

The leaders of the MQM-P and PPP traded allegations in the House during debate on the federal budget triggering uproar in the National Assembly.

Shaikh Salahuddin kicked off war of words between sides demanding speedy trial of corrupt politicians saying that a PPP leader who previously was known as Mr 10 Percent, now had become Mr 100 percent.

As the members from two parties exchanged harsh remarks while PPP parliamentarians protested over remarks against their leadership, Iqbal Muhammad Ali said they would not allow any member from the other side to speak if he was interrupted during his speech.

The MQM parliamentarian during his speech showered praises on the PTI government saying that no corruption case had surfaced in the last 10 months. However, he said that corruption committed by last governments had blotted reputation of Pakistan in comity of world.

He criticised the PPP leadership for not resolving basic problems of Sindh’s rural areas and in this connection, he referred to spread of HIV AIDs in Larkana district, the native town PPP leadership.

On hearing accusations against him, Zardari responded with the same coin and said during Musharraf tenure more than Rs1,000 crore was given to MQM with task to hold Karachi hostage. “These people were asked to buy the weapons to sell their shops and homes and every Pakistani knows that these weapons were used in Karachi,” he said.

Zardari said he surrendered all the powers to Parliament through the 18th amendment.

The PPP’s Abdul Qadar Patel said he would expose misdeeds of the MQM as he said they (MQM) themselves called for trouble for themselves by levelling allegations on his party’s leadership.