Islamabad, June 22, 2021 (PPI-OT): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Fawad Hussain has said the PTI government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan has put the country on the right track with the economy witnessing accelerated growth.

Participating in the budget debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday, he said the opposition parties have the right to criticize the government but responsibility also rests with it to make positive contributions to the system. He said the opposition should come to positive politics to collectively take the country forward.

The Information Minister once again invited the opposition parties to sit with the government on important matters including electoral and judicial reforms. He said the government will welcome the suggestions of the opposition on the electoral reforms. He said we want to strengthen the Election Commission of Pakistan. He said the use of electronic voting machines is important to ensure transparency and fairness in the elections.

Dubbing the period of 2008-18 as a period of darkness for Pakistan, Chaudhary Fawad Hussain said the previous governments ruined the economy through their policies. He pointed out that the country’s loans were six thousand billion rupees by 2008 which increased to twenty six thousand billion rupees by 2018. He said today the situation is that we are paying two thousand billion rupees per year in debt servicing. In addition, nine hundred billion rupees are being paid as capacity payments to the power plants which will increase to 1500 billion rupees by 2023.

Chaudhary Fawad Hussain said under the 18th amendment, a big share of revenue goes to the provinces. He said 1600 to 1700 billion rupees went to the Sindh province over the last two years under the NFC. He said another 700 to 750 billion rupees will go to the province during the next fiscal year. He however regretted that the provincial government there has done nothing worthwhile for provision of basic amenities to the people. He said this is the reason that the Prime Minister has stood up against corruption.

Participating in the budget debate, Rahat Amanullah Bhatti, said the elected representatives have a responsibility to launch a sustained campaign against power pilferage and to provide clean drinking water in their constituencies. Jamaluddin said the government should enhance the salaries of all employees by twenty percent.

Ahsan Iqbal said unrealistic targets have been set in the budget 2021-22. He said the government will not be able to achieve the tax collection target of 5.8 trillion rupees. He said efforts should be made to attract foreign investment and bolster the country’s exports. He said additional funds should be allocated for the Higher Education Commission. Tahir Sadiq said the salaries of employees should be enhanced by twenty five percent. He said the local government system should be restored to address the problems of people at grassroots level. Shazia Marri said the budget is anti-people and anti-farmers. She said the figures have been fudged in the budget.

For more information, contact:
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor, Cabinet Block, Pak. Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-9103557
Email: info@moib.gov.pk
Website: http://www.moib.gov.pk