The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) criticized the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s 2024-25 federal budget approach.
During a press conference in Islamabad, Shazia Marri, Information Secretary of PPP, claimed that the ruling party had not sufficiently consulted its coalition partner, PPP, on the budgetary decisions.
Marri revealed that the Finance Minister presented a pre-budget document, the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2023-24, today. This report details macroeconomic indicators for the outgoing fiscal year. Although a major coalition ally, Marri explained that PPP feels sidelined in budget planning.
Earlier today, the PPP’s parliamentary party met under Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s leadership to deliberate on the proposed budget, and the party leadership shared their concerns with the party’s top leaders.
“We are encountering challenges due to the federal government’s disregard for PPP’s input,” Marri stated. She emphasized the potential difficulties for farmers if the budget does not provide necessary relief.
Marri expressed disappointment over unmet agreements with the federal government and hoped that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would recognize the PPP’s position. She confirmed that PPP parliamentarians would reconvene tomorrow at 2:30 PM to discuss the budget further.
Addressing another concern, Marri reiterated that PPP has no plans to join the PML-N government’s cabinet. Similarly, senior PPP leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah voiced his dissatisfaction last Sunday, stating that the party was unconcerned about key budgetary elements like privatisation policy, taxes, and developmental programs.
Shah lamented the lack of information on relief measures and questioned whether the International Monetary Fund (IMF) influenced the budget. He stressed the importance of including PPP’s proposals in the budget, citing accountability to the public. “People will ask us what we have done. What will we tell them if we don’t even know?” he remarked.
Shah concluded that the PPP must strategically decide its stance on the upcoming budget announcement scheduled for June 12.
