Budget brought entire nation on same page against PTI govt, says Bilawal

Opposition plundered nation's wealth and built assets worth billions of rupees in foreign countries, says Shibli

The entire nation, including all opposition parties, is united against the budget 2000-21 which was recently presented by the PTI-led government, said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday.

He was addressing a joint press conference after an all-party conference of opposition parties in Islamabad. "All opposition parties have unanimously rejected this budget and the economic policies of this government due to which entire nation has become united against the government."

Bilawal said the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products exposed the real hypocritic face of the government. "This [PTI] government is turning the every crisis into catastrophe be it Covid-19, wheat or petrol."



The PPP chairman said Prime Minister Imran Khan is endangering the "health and economy" of the country.

Speaking alongside Bilawal, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Khawaja Asif said that PM Imran has become an national liability for the country and getting rid of him is the need of the hour.

"The more he [PM] remains in power the more damage he will cause to the country," he said, adding that all opposition parties will fight the government at all forums.

The PML-N leader reiterated that only fresh elections can resolve the crises of the country. "This Covid-19 pandemic has shattered all hopes for the revival of economy which was already in tatters."

#AwaamDushmanBudgetلائیو: پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری سندھ ہاؤس، اسلام آباد میں پریس کانفرنس کررہے ہیں۔ https://t.co/WXBp17Nm1F

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) June 28, 2020

‘Playing politics’

Reacting on the Bilawal-Asif presser, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said the opposition parties are only busy in playing politics and not interested in resolving the issues being faced by the people.

Shibli was addressing a news conference flanked by Industries Minister Hammad Azhar and Communication Minister Murad Saeed in Islamabad.

"They plundered the nation's wealth and built assets worth billions of rupees in foreign countries. These are the people who want to impose lockdown in the country because they don’t care about the masses," he said.

The information minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan dealt with Covid-19 crisis with determination and clarity and restored the country's pride at global level. "..this is the reason they [opposition] is critising the government because they cannot bear it."

Hammad Azhar said the government did not impose any new taxes in the Budget 2000-21 rather it reduced or abolished some of the taxes.

The PTI-led government, he said, took "unprecedented steps" to provide relief to the business community and marginalised segment of the society during the Covid-19 crisis.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting @shiblifaraz briefing the media at Press Information Department, Islamabad. https://t.co/7yUCL8X5u9

— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) June 28, 2020