People from different walks of life have termed the federal budget 2009-10 as anti-people and said it would multiply the miseries of common man on the one hand and deny any tangible relief to the industry on the other. They were of the view that the government is blindly following the IMF dictates instead of addressing the plight of poor people in particular and salaried class in general.
The pensioners and salaried people described the raise in their pensions and salaries as insufficient. A leader of PML-N and Senior Political Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik, in his reaction, termed the budget 2009-10 as anti-industry and IMF driven coward budget. "It appears that there is lack of comprehension on the part of country's economic managers because they are unable to understand the real issues," he added.
The PML-N leader further said no relief had been given to common man in the budget, and increase in electricity tariff would compound the economic problems of the people already overburdened by price hike. He further claimed the government was following IMF agenda that was anti-industry and anti-people. A leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Amir ul Azeem, in his reaction, described the budget 2009-10 as "Budget Bomb" that would raise the miseries of public.
He said the people must be ready to face mini budgets ahead. "We had no hope of any good from PPP-led government," he added. The people were facing severe hardships due to unemployment, price spiral, high inflation and high tariffs of utilities, while the government was showing indifferent attitude towards plight of people, he said.
All Pakistan Teachers Federation Chairman, Muhammad Azam Butt, said there was 100 percent increase in price hike, while the government announced only 15 percent ad hoc relief allowance for the serving and retired government servants from July 1, 2009 that was mere a peanut. He was of the view that the government must announce substantial increase in salaries of government servants.
Talking about budgetary allocations for education sector, he said the government was focusing on higher education because due attention was not being given to primary and middle levels education. He said the country could achieve progress only through promotion of education at grass roots level. The Pakistan Workers Federation (PWC) in its emergent meeting with Chaudhry Mohammad Talib Nawaz in the chair rejected the 15 percent ad hoc relief allowance announced by the government for the serving and retired government servants.
The meeting, however, hailed the announcement regarding payment of Rs 80 billion and Rs 51 billion outstanding against Fata and government respectively, and said it would help overcome load shedding that would strengthen the economy. Pakistan Wapda Employees Pegham Union leaders S. D. Saqib, Ehsan Chaudhry and Touqir Islam in their reaction said their hopes about the budget had not been fulfilled. They said the government should have announced subsidy on essential items, while 100 percent increase in salaries must be announced. They criticised privatisation of national institutions and demanded immediate steps for hydel power generation.