Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah on Friday proposed the government to allocate 15 percent funds of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) to build dams. Taking part in budget debate in the National Assembly, he said: "I told the then chief justice [Saqib Nisar] if you are sincere about building dams, tell the government to call a mini-budget session and allocate 15 percent of PSDP to construct dams. I also told him that you have collected Rs 10 billion through donations and spent Rs 11 billion on advertisements."
"This was a cheap publicity stunt," Shah said, adding, "There is a need to take concrete measures if we are serious about dam construction." He said that his party is even ready to vote in favour of the budget if the government allocates 15pc of the PSDP to build dams. At the same time, he admitted that he had not discussed this option with his party leadership.
"This will not be Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's decision, this will be the decision of the masses, of this parliament, and we (opposition) will appreciate you," he added.
Shah declared that it would take decade to build dam even if the government allocates funds for building dams in the budget. He also called for an increase in the money allocated for education. "It was due to the lack of education that people in Pakistan could not take care of their health," he added.
"You are reducing the amount allocated to education in this budget from Rs 97 billion to Rs 77 billion. The allocation for health was Rs 98 billion last year, this year it is around Rs60 billion...decrease [the money allocated to] health but increase [funds for] education," he said.
He said that he had welcomed the government's announcement that it would build 50 million houses for the poor as previous budgets did not have any funds allocated to housing.
"You want to give loans [for housing] to 300,000 poor people. Poor people are those who are included in BISP (Benazir Income Support Programme), who earn Rs 5,000 or less. How will a person [with this income] return the loans? We thought that the people listed in BISP will be the ones who would be given houses but we did not see anything like that."
He said that the prices of gas, electricity and medicines have gone skyrocketing, which has further increased the inflation, making it difficult for the poor to make the both ends meet as it has reached from 3.7 percent to 9 percent.
Shah wrapped up his speech by advising politicians "not to rely on falsehood to earn votes."
"I did not tell lies. I said falsehood," he clarified. He then listed claims made by the current government during the election campaign that it had gone back on; "[Prime minister] said he will not approach the IMF [International Monetary Fund], he will not depreciate the currency, will not increase prices of petrol and electricity, will not extend the hand of friendship to India and will not announce a tax amnesty scheme."
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Asif said that the incarcerated party supremo, Nawaz Sharif, was not interested in becoming the prime minister again for the fourth time.
Taking part in budget debate in the National Assembly, he said that Asif criticised the government and said, "Nawaz Sharif's narrative is being popular with the passage of time. His slogan is to give respect to vote and that the Constitution is supreme."
"Let the people of Pakistan decide whether the PML-N should be in power or not," he said.
Asif said the people who changed their loyalties are to be blamed for the tussle between the government and opposition.
"There are some people who are getting spoiled after changing their political parties. They have a hand in the current political unrest in the country."
"All the people who are sitting in the first row of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government are passengers. The 10-year investigation commission should deal with them," said the PML-N leader.
Asif continued that none of the previous governments in Pakistan lost their credibility at the early stage of their regime as the PTI-led government did.
"The PTI government must be given more time so that they cannot complain they were not given enough time to prove themselves. Let them reveal themselves completely so that they do not jump on the containers again."
The former foreign minister said: "If someone goes abroad for medical treatment, the government condemns him/her. But to fix the economy of the country, they have brought a doctor from abroad. Someone must ask the finance minister where he spent his time after getting free from power."
"Rented people cannot complete Imran Khan's agenda. He must bring workers in the front," stressed Asif.
Khawaja Asif said the withdrawal of zero rated facility for export-oriented industry will not only cut job opportunities but also further decline Pakistani exports. He said the government should review this decision.
Another PML-N leader and former defence minister Khurram Dastagir Khan criticised the government's economic policies saying these have resulted in price hike and unemployment.
He said that the exports have decreased $63 million during July to May of this current fiscal year as compared to the previous year, adding due to rupee depreciation, the defence budget has come down to $9 billion to $7 billion, which is not good as security should be top priority.
"The foreign direct investment has decreased by 52 pc - $2.8bn to $1.37bn. The prices of fertilizer and pesticides have been increased, while prices of medicines have been increased by 400 percent," he regretted.
Continuing discussion on the budget, Sahibzada Sibghatullah described the budget as investment friendly. He said the country has been put on the right track and it will move forward on the path of progress and development.
Fakhar Imam of PTI said the agriculture sector should be uplifted to meet the current economic challenges faced by the country. Muhammad Yousuf Talpur of PPP called for fair distribution of resources for development of all areas. Munir Khan Orakzai said the tribal districts should be given their share in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Junaid Akbar said it is for the first time that focus is being given to documentation of economy and duties on raw material have been reduced in order to revive industries and enhance exports.
Usama Qadri appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan's firm stance against corruption. He said those who committed economic terrorism must be taken to task and held accountable. He called for establishment of a complete Islamic banking system in the country.
Muhammad Barjees Tahir said this budget has not been prepared by the government but by the IMF. He said the government has failed to achieve the revenue target for the current fiscal year.

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