News
Friday, May 13, 2011
PPP, allies chalk out strategy to counter budget criticism
By Sajid Chaudhry
ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and its coalition partners in parliament – Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Awami National Party (ANP) – on Thursday chalked out a “budget strategy” to counter criticism of the opposition parties after the presentation of Budget 2011-12, official sources informed Daily Times.
A meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Finance Dr Hafeez Shaikh also formed three sub-groups and invited their proposals by Saturday to be incorporated in the final strategy at the Ministry of Finance.
Federal Minister for Information Dr Firdaus Ashaq Awan, former Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kira and representatives from PPP’s coalition partners in the National Assembly attended the meeting.
The sources said the government was planning to announce many pro-poor relief measures in the Budget 2011-12, adding that some tough decisions like elimination of subsidies on power, oil and food were also part of it. They said these subsidies would be converted into targeted subsidies for very few deserving segments of society.
Some taxation measures are also part of the budget proposal that might hit both the urban and rural population of the country, which are the key vote banks of the certain political parties. The sources said that under the proposed budget strategy the PPP, MQM, ANP and PML-Q would jointly highlight the positive aspects of the budget at their own political forums as well as in parliament. Leaders of these political parties would also take part in the post-budget debates and discussions on electronic and print media.
The sources added that the opposition parties, especially the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had boycotted the proceedings of the standing committees on finance of both the houses where budget proposals were being shared with all the parties.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk