Election year politics: PML-N turns up heat on PPP over federal budget

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz continued its nationwide protest against the federal budget and the party’s Sindh president Ghous Ali Shah claimed that “the budget has offered nothing for the poor.” The PML-N leaders were speaking to dozens of activists in sweltering heat outside the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday.

The leaders, however, appeared to have a hard time controlling their workers, who were found pushing and shoving each other.

PML-N Karachi president Nehal Hashmi had to request activists to move away from the truck from which he and other party leaders were speaking. “These youngsters are not trained and need to be disciplined,” said Hashmi.

Nevertheless, other PML-N leaders carried on with their speeches. Marvi Memon alleged that money allocated for development was going into the pockets of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

PML-N Sindh secretary general Saleem Zia said that the budget had exposed the PPP’s “plan” to make more money during its last year in office.

“The country should do away with Ali Baba and 40 chors,” added Hashmi, while referring to the PPP-led government. “Rs22 billion have been allocated for the prime minister’s foreign trips, [while] healthcare and education get nothing,” he said.

Ameer Buksh Bhutto, son of PML-N leader Mumtaz Bhutto, claimed that the government would bring another “mini budget” within 15 days.

“Government [employees] salaries have been increased by 20 per cent, while inflation has increased by 100 per cent,” said Barrister Raja Ansari.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2012.