LAHORE:
The Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) has rejected the federal budget and expressed strong reservations about the alleged contempt of the Punjab Government Party in the budgetary process, causing a war of words between Hassan Murtaza and Punjab Minister of Information Bukhari.
Speaking at a press conference in the model secretariat of the city of the PPP, Hassan Murtaza, general secretary of PPP Central Punjab, said that the party was not consulted or its suggestions included in the budget.
“People will not receive relief from the federal or expected budget of Punjab,” he said, criticizing the government’s economic policies and stating that the peace of the region was being threatened by a ‘modi’ style mentality.
Murtaza also used the occasion to launch a scathing criticism of international powers, particularly the United States and Israel, and questioned the credibility of global institutions such as the United Nations.
“The Muslim Ummah is forced to recite verses of the Jihad; this is the same strategy as Modi used against Pakistan,” he said, adding that Pakistan should strengthen his economy as much as his defense.
He criticized the imposition of strong taxes on agriculture, qualifying him as death for farmers. “From gasoline to fertilizers and seeds, everything has been taxed. And yet the wheat is sold cheap, while sugar cane is bought on credit and sugar is sold in cash,” he said.
Murtaza accused the Punjab government of operating a mafia of the sugar factory and said that rose water worth RS320 million was sprayed on Lahore’s roads, while the basic facilities were not available to the poor.
He also criticized Punjab Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz, allegedly improper use of public funds for personal brand. “Maryam Nawaz is so obsessed with the self -promotion that even garbage cubes carry their photo. But it cannot include prime minister, their own uncle, in those images,” he said.
By going back in the performance of the provincial government, he said he had not fulfilled during his 16 months mandate. “If you are putting your face in the garbage cubes, then you also have inflation,” he said. He also condemned the recent imposition of the 18% tax on solar panels and said that future taxes on essential elements such as oxygen would be the next logical step if such policies continue.
Murtaza criticized the 10% salary increase for government employees, qualifying it as insufficient and demanded an increase of 50%.
He also denounced what he called the humiliation of medical professionals and accused the government of pushing several departments to protest against Charing Cross instead of allowing them to serve in the offices.
While reiterating the PPP’s commitment to the institutional reform, Murtaza said his party was ready to work with the government to fix the system, but would not support exploitation policies.
He also opposed the proposed advertising bill and urged Pakistan to align with more force with the neighbor Iran.
In a strong refutation, Punjab Minister of Information, Azma Bukhari, dismissed Murtaza’s comments, saying: “A person who could not even win their own seat should not be giving us a conference.” She said that in private meetings, even Murtaza admitted that the governance of Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz was the real reason why PPP lost ground in Punjab.
“Maryam Nawaz is not only making promises, he is fulfilling them. He is offering real relief to people and translates dreams actually,” Bukhari said. Referring to Murtaza’s recent visit to Sambrial, he said he had witnessed the first -hand government work.
Bukhari criticized the PPP leader even more for rejecting a budget that had not even presented. “This shows the state of his political trial,” he added. She emphasized that governments with vision can show results even in 16 months, while those who lack direction fail even after 16 years.
