Opposition terms budget jugglery of words

Criticising the Federal Budget 2004-05, opposition parties on Saturday termed it a jugglery of words.
While commenting on the budget announced by Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Deputy Parliamentary Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the budget has not provided any relief to the common man.
"It is nothing else but only a jugglery of words. It has nothing to do with the common people," he said, while talking to journalists here in the Parliament House.
Nisar said that there are good macro-economic indicators, but these indicators cannot fill the bellies of the poor people. "According to the statistics of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 40 million people are still living below the poverty line. But our government is claiming that the country is moving ahead on the economic front," he said.
He also said that the finance minister had the most financial space in this budget, but he has been failed to deliver.
Commenting on the increase in the defence budget, he said that the people would welcome this increase if this money would be used to strengthen Pakistan Army against our enemies.
"We have reservations that this increase in the defence budget will again be used for the purchase of lands for the Army Generals." He felt that the money would be used against our own nationalists in Wana.
Commenting on the budget, veteran politician from Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians, Naveed Qamar said that the budget would only please the feudals.
He also said that poverty is increasing day-by-day, but the government is making false claims that poverty is decreasing.
He said that this budget would not provide any relief to the masses, adding, "It is a routine budget. The government has been failed to deliver in the best interest of the people."
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) also rejected the budget 2004-05.
Talking to journalists, Member National Assembly Hafiz Hussain Ahmad said that the government has failed to develop consensus among the provinces.
There are lots of controversies in the budget, therefore, we do not think that it is a people-friendly budget, he said.
On the other hand, the government members have expressed complete satisfaction over the budget.
Talking to newsmen, Education Minister Zubaida Jalal and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education Nilofar Bakhtiar hoped that the people would welcome this budget.