A surprised and frightened Pakistani nation is counting moments to see what a 'trust-deficient' government offers it in the 2007-08 budget to restore lost credibility in the wake of lingering judicial and media crises.
All elders with dark memories of the past and youngsters with bright hopes for future would observe keenly what goodies an election-oriented account of official earning and spending brings for them.
Whether a 'relief' dream of downtrodden poor comes true or it is shattered will be clear late on Saturday evening when the government unveils the federal budget in the National Assembly.
With general elections scheduled for later this year, there has already been a lot of official rhetoric that the budget would this time around be pro-poor and help reduce hardships unprivileged classes are up to.
But hopes the poor segments of Pakistan's economically engulfed society-for whom unbridled price hike has turned life a burden-will receive something they can call 'enough' are very little. State Finance Minister Omar Ayub Khan will present the budget. The session will start at 1730 hours in the heavily guarded Parliament House in the wake of some threats of terrorist strikes, of late.
The same evening, budget document will also be laid before the Senate. The whole nation, especially those who need some special handling for an exit out of a 'vicious' poverty circle will watch with great attention as to what the government offers them.
"Let's see what (cat) comes out of the government's bag; whether it comes (out) or not," has been a buzzword in this town a day ahead of the budget. Sitting in tea stalls and offices, people have a short time ago started guessing about the budget, but they don't look much enthusiastic perhaps due to their past bitter experiences.
"We have been given such assurances in the past, but...how can we believe what we are hearing this time," commented a government employee who didn't look convinced the budget would help herald a dawn of prosperity for him and people alike.
As the government officials from top to bottom have lately been claiming to come up with something 'extraordinary' for them, households are already in dreams the budget will reduce their hardships.
Those who will watch the proceedings with eyes wide open are millions of government employees and pensioners. They will surely get raise in salaries, but how much is still a mystery.
Being the fixed income groups, they (government employees and pensioners) are more vulnerable to the price hike that has for some times been in double digit during the outgoing fiscal. All including salaried class will anxiously be waiting as to what plan the government comes out with to control a skyrocketing price hike especially that of food items.
The finance managers have already promised not to let inflation go beyond seven percent in the coming fiscal. Besides poor, households and salaried class, the interest of business community, industrialists, importers/exporters and farmers will also not be limited.
They too will look for what kind of concessions the government offers them to help 'play their part' in the country's growing economy. The most anxious will be those who are in real estate and capital market business. These powerful individuals do not want the government to tax whatever they are gaining/earning.
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