Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: With federal ministers taking charge of their posts, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday that the budget for the fiscal year 2013-14 will be presented on June 12, Express News reported.
According to the PML-N manifesto, it would enhance education budget upto 4 percent of GDP by 2018, give greater autonomy to HEC amd promote vocational and technical education.
The PML-N Deputy Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, had earlier admitted that choosing priorities was a difficult task and said, “Tackling the power crisis is definitely important, and reviving the economy and dealing with peace and security are equally important.”
Reducing non-development expenditure by 30 percent would be another major aim of the budget.
Supporting provinces
Also speaking to the media on Saturday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who was appointed Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, said that peace is a provincial issue, we will fully support the provinces by overlooking the politics.
Background
Solemnly pledging to discharge their duties honestly and in accordance with the Constitution, the 25-member federal cabinet took oath on Friday two days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assumed office as the country’s chief executive.
With the new prime minister by his side, President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to the new cabinet, signalling the culmination of the transition of power from one civilian government to another.
COMMENTS (14)
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@PakArmySoldier: I think Economist-Man summed it together pretty well. Also, accounting field is not as pigeon-holed as typical stereotypes indicate. Please learn more about it.
@Me: It's like asking a biologist to do physics.
I agree with those who suspect the budget is already made. Obviously the number-crunching goes on even if they don't know the "base" for end-FY13, on which projections will be made for FY14.
Mr. FM how can we afford to close customs houses at airports and sea ports on saturdays?
Pakistan has its own dynamics, where some political parties are being led by sportsmen having no experience what so ever of governance e.g. PTI, the only party in the world being led by a cricketer. Does it make PTI a non serious entity. definitely not. Ishak Dar too, will make no difference if he isn't an economist.
@pakarmysoldier and Pakistan is among few countries where Army pokes into politics.
former MNA of PPP and ex chairman national assembly public accounts committee (PAC) has on the record said ion a live TV show that for 5 years (he meant former PPP tenure 2008-2013) as an elected peoples representative and parliamentarian he was totally unaware of the fact that who makes our national BUDGET- He was talking on NEWS ONEs Rana Mubashhars talk show. So how Dar will be able to make a national budget in 6 days. budget making is a traditional orthodox bureaucratic exercise done by our establishment with the consent of military establishment and IFIs including world bank ADB IMF etc- A friend at FBR told me that budget is already made- It is very sorry state of affairs-
@PakArmySoldier: Pakistan is also the only country where finance ministers are hired by the parties (Shaukat Tareen, Shaukat Aziz,Dr Salman Hafeez Pasha etc etc). At least Its now not being run by a minister for hire or an ex-army man,
@PaKArmySoldier: What is wrong with that?
Pakistan, the only country in the world where the finance ministry is being run by an accountant.
Would the budget be in right direction or just help increase subsidies for industries where government has invested ? We would only come to know the reality if the ruling elite can put the money where the mouth is. Ishaq Dar should move money invested in multiple skyscrapers ( HDS group ) in Dubai to Pakistan if he believes in the budget prepared by him. Nawaz Sharif and the royal family ( Hamza and Maryam ) should follow the suit. Just saying that we inherited empty treasury but are on path to development by 2018 should not suffice.
express tribune not a news paper it is an encyclopedia of world fresh information .tibute to all staff for their contribution