Pak opposition terms Budget 2021-22 'illegal', alleges Imran govt robbed members' right to vote

Pakistan opposition parties on Tuesday slammed the passing of the federal budget for the financial year 2021-22 and said that it is "illegal" and has "robbed the members' right to vote in the National Assembly.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari speaking to the media said, "The process of approving the budget has become illegal," Bilawal said, adding: "Today, the members' right to vote was robbed."

Bilawal speaking to the media said that the government had "forced the budget through", reported Geo News.

"What happened in the National Assembly must be brought before the nation," Bilawal said.

He said that with today's session, "a very bad example" had been set in the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said that the budget passed "with great ease", adding that "such a huge development budget has never been passed in Pakistan's history", reported Geo News.

Bilawal said that if it is such a stupendous budget and if the economy is growing, then "why were the government members hiding?"

Criticising the budget, he said the government is "adamant on making the people suffer".

"The government had lost its moral legitimacy, now it has lost its legal legitimacy."

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, for her part, demanded the government withdraw its tax policy for 1,100 cc vehicles and 5-minute phone calls, reported Geo News.

"Imran Sahib does not realise the effects of taxing 5-minute phone calls," she said, terming the tax "barbaric".

She said only 37 per cent of the population use smartphones, while the other use non-smartphones and will be hit the worst with the tax.

Marriyum said that the budget contains very "stringent measures" for the middle class.

She said that owing to the Metro bus and Orange Line projects brought to the country by the PML-N the people have public transport facilities, which other provinces are deprived of and thus people face immense difficulties commuting there, reported Geo News.

Criticising Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, she said that "under the guise of the project Rs 126 billion worth of holes were dug up".

She also slammed Imran Khan-led government for food inflation that stands at 16 per cent, and for unemployment that is at 15 per cent.

She said that the government had said it would not impose indirect taxes, but 67 per cent of the taxes are indirect in next year's budget, reported Geo News.

From the PPP, 54 out of 56 were present with the remaining two absent due to coronavirus. From the PML-N, among the total 84 MNA, only 14 reportedly showed up in the National Assembly for the Budget 2021-22.

( With inputs from ANI )

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