LAHORE: General Secretary Pakistan Peoples Party Central Punjab Syed Hassan Murtaza on Monday expressed his party’s disappointment and frustration over the government’s handling of the budget process.

While addressing a press conference along with PPP MPA Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry, he said for the first time, the government did not take its allies into confidence before presenting the budget, a move that he deemed a violation of the trust. PPP leaders Ahsan Rizvi, Zeeshan Shami and Hassan Ashraf Bhatti were present on the occasion.

Murtaza criticized the government for not taking into confidence, including labour representatives in the budget making process.

He said the PPP is only supporting the government to save the country from economic crisis. However, Murtaza expressed disappointment with the N-League, stating that no class, including journalists, is satisfied with the government’s performance.

Murtaza highlighted the plight of farmers, who are arrested by police when they protest, and wondered why the government has not paid the dues of sugarcane farmers.

The People’s Party leader demanded a relief programme for salaried class and pensioners, which, he said, was absent from the government’s budget proposal.

While responding to a question, Hassan Murtaza said that the People’s Party is standing with the journalist community on the issue of Defamation Bill. He said no member of the party was present in the House when the bill was passed.

He said the government didn’t consult with PPP before presenting the bill in the House.

The People’s Party has decided to stand with the government despite knowing that they will loose political support. “We had high expectations from Maryam Nawaz that she would take the province forward according to her father’s vision. However, the government should not take steps that disappoint both the media and the public,” Murtaza added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024