Previous government held responsible for economic ills
ISLAMABAD (June 15 2008): The coalition partners in the National Assembly on Saturday held Shaukat Aziz led economic team responsible for all the economic ills, which emerged soon after his five-year tenure.
In the maiden session of the annual budget 2008-09, the debate kicked off simultaneously in both the Houses of the Parliament and a large number of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle took part in the debate on the first day.
However, it was widely observed in the National Assembly that instead of giving fruitful suggestions and recommendations for incorporating them in the Finance Bill, political point scoring and trade of allegations dominated the debate.
Members of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam and ANP lambasted the previous government for what they termed dragging the economy to the brink of disaster.
Even a former state minister of Shaukat Aziz cabinet and a key icon of economic policies makers, Hina Rabbani Khar, who enjoyed as minister throughout the Shaukat's government revealed to the National Assembly that the policies of Shaukat Aziz government were hallow, instrumental in destabilisation of the national economy. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of JUI said that it was difficult to ask the government for presenting a better budget keeping in view the hallow economic policies of previous government.
"Although, the budget is not up to the mark as expected by the masses, but, it cannot be better than this under the present circumstances", he maintained. Maulana added that the country needs making long term and durable multifaceted policies to bring it out of the multipronged crisis. "But, the food inflation, he pinpointed, is being faced by masses could not wait for the long-term policies, which need urgent redress", he added.
All the subsequent dictators who came to power gave slogan of economic stability and good governance but all their policies badly collapsed with the dissolution of their regimes and nation never benefited of their policies.
Maulana also asked the government to beware of the international economic policies, terming them anti-state and anti-poor. "These policies pursuits globalisation rather than protecting small nations", he added. He demanded of the government to constitute a commission for probing as to how and why the previous government sold out important national assets through privatisation. Maulana also condemned the violation of our borders by the Nato troops, saying that the government should opt an effective policy to protest this violation.
Ayaz Amir of PML-N pointed out that finance minister did not provide details about the defence budget, which the Prime Minister announced to present in the House and what would be its impact if these details were provided at the end of the budget debate.
He mentioned that it does not need to boost defence budget as the core issue of Kashmir was put in abeyance unilaterally. However, he pointed out that the country is facing serious threats from its own allies at the Western border.
Ayaz said that polices of the previous government to pursue the American interests blindly be reviewed. Due to these policies, he opined, the Untied States has now started targeting our army within our own territory.
Without naming any political leader, he said, politicians who got overwhelming victory in February 18 elections should shun the politics of excuse. There are a number of myths in this country and supremacy of Parliament is also a myth, Ayaz maintained. "The issue of restoration of judges could be resolved till this evening if the Parliament wants", he added.
A young legislator from Fata also blamed the previous government for creating law and order situation in their area and as well as usurpation of foreign funds came from different countries for Fata development.
Dr Adul Qadir Khanzada of MQM, however, praised the policies of the previous government, saying that the relief measures taken by the previous regime help to set a good line in budget to provide relief to the people. He, however, expressed resentment over the house rent, medical and conveyance allowance of the government employees, which he said were raised as per ratio of the current inflation.
He pointed out that Rs 19 billion subsidy, which was being given to KESC has now been reduced to Rs 11 billion. It would further increase the per unit rate of the electricity charges in Karachi, where people are already paying higher than other parts of the country. Instead of increasing wheat support price, he suggested, variety of wheat seeds need to be introduced to boost its production.