Budget criticisms: MQM demands govt withdraw sales tax hike
Sattar says the budget has increased the problems of the poor people instead of providing any kind of relief.
Farooq Sattar slams tax on education institutes. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
KARACHI:
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) on Friday formally termed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) proposed federal budget for 2013-14 as a traditional one which offers no relief for the masses.
At a press conference on Friday, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that the budget has increased the problems of the poor people instead of providing any kind of relief.
“No tax has been imposed on the feudals and landlords, and instead new taxes have been levied on salaried persons, and those on the lowest rung of the ladder.”
Demanding minimum wage to be raised to Rs15,000 and a decrease in sales tax, the MQM parliamentarian also suggested wages of labourers should be increased.
Sattar said that by introducing 'withholding tax' on traders, the government has hurt them economically. The MQM leader also criticised the inclusion of tax on education, and called it an anti-education budget.
Sattar was also critical of how no major policy had been listed in the budget to deal with loadshedding and the power crisis. He said that no mention had been made of using other resources to generate electricity.
He further lamented that no clear policy had been listed by the government on how to save state-owned organisations such as steel mills or the PIA.
Sattar also lashed out at the PML-N and said that when the party was in opposition it had screamed it would bring back the plundered wealth stowed abroad, but now that it was in power, it had fallen silent on the issue.
“Now when the PML-N has formed the government, it has failed to introduce any policy for bringing back the country's wealth stored in foreign accounts abroad.”
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) on Friday formally termed the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) proposed federal budget for 2013-14 as a traditional one which offers no relief for the masses.
At a press conference on Friday, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that the budget has increased the problems of the poor people instead of providing any kind of relief.
“No tax has been imposed on the feudals and landlords, and instead new taxes have been levied on salaried persons, and those on the lowest rung of the ladder.”
Demanding minimum wage to be raised to Rs15,000 and a decrease in sales tax, the MQM parliamentarian also suggested wages of labourers should be increased.
Sattar said that by introducing 'withholding tax' on traders, the government has hurt them economically. The MQM leader also criticised the inclusion of tax on education, and called it an anti-education budget.
Sattar was also critical of how no major policy had been listed in the budget to deal with loadshedding and the power crisis. He said that no mention had been made of using other resources to generate electricity.
He further lamented that no clear policy had been listed by the government on how to save state-owned organisations such as steel mills or the PIA.
Sattar also lashed out at the PML-N and said that when the party was in opposition it had screamed it would bring back the plundered wealth stowed abroad, but now that it was in power, it had fallen silent on the issue.
“Now when the PML-N has formed the government, it has failed to introduce any policy for bringing back the country's wealth stored in foreign accounts abroad.”