Dr. Yasmin Raashid advisor to PTI Chairman said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar???s Monday evening press conference turns out be a bolt from the blue for the poor nation. As Ishaq Dar announced Rs 40 billion additional tax measures to meet the revenue shortfall and to further add to the misery of poor he announced to keep the prices of petrol and diesel unchanged for December 2015 despite the nosedived petrol prices trend in the international market she added. She said the strategy adopted by PML-N government on IMF instructions to meet fiscal deficit target by putting the extra tax burden on the poor nation whose 60 percent population is already living below the poverty line would make the lives of the poor further miserable. PML-N is advised not to follow the tactics of IMF and do not grease their palms because IMF does not care for the living standards of common man in Pakistan she added. She said Pakistan is such an unfortunate country that entire world is enjoying benefits of lower petroleum products but country???s ruling elite cannot digest seeing people enjoy benefits of all time lower petroleum prices. Billions of rupees are available for Sharif family useless luxurious foreign tours but one rupee relief on petrol price is not available for the poor consumers she added. She said by this worst economic planning Pakistan is going down.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said the worst thing that has happened to Pakistan is PML-N and its so-called experienced team. Isahq Dar, Sharif family accountant cum country finance minster who has been around from the last 35 years has no understanding how to fix the economy she added. She said PML-N take loans, make metros and motorways, when they run out of money they increase indirect taxes on the poor to take more loans so that the cycle continues. If this practice continues for the next two and half years, a day will come when no one would give loans and we the Pakistanis would be so indebted that even our ten generations could not be able to pay them back she added. She said 40 billion extra taxes and decision to keep the prices of petroleum products unchanged is a proof of the failure of the financial management of PML-N government. For enhanced revenue generation, the government, which has complete disconnect with its people also decided to deprive the people of the benefits of the tumbling oil prices in the international market she added. She said Ishaq Dar needs to understand that there is parliament in the country, which should have been taken into confidence before imposing taxes. But for Ishaq Dar parliament is just to enjoy the perks and privileges of being a minister she added. She questioned how can Ishaq Dar announce new taxes in a press conference? It is outright violation of constitution to impose the taxes without consulting the parliament she added. She said instead of putting the burden on the poor the 40 billion should be taken from ruling elite by cutting of their lavish expenditure. This mini-budget will fuel inflation, as duties have been levied on the total value of the goods, which will also increase sales tax incidence she added.