ISLAMABAD: While criticising constitution of Commission of Inquiry on Loans, former prime minister and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Saturday asked as to how the members of the Commission who did not know ABC of economy, could question the executive decisions taken in the past.“How the officers from agencies can judge as to in which conditions, the decisions to loans were taken in the past,” he said, adding he was ready to write report of the Commission before its members completes it. Taking part in marathon debate on the federal budget in the morning session of National Assembly,Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said now the attention of the whole country would be diverted to the Commission of Inquiry and its proceedings.Shahid Khaqan Abbasi suggested that instead of inquiring into loans obtained in the last five or 10 years, the scope of work of the Commission should be extended to year 2002 of Musharraf regime while inquiry on loans taken so far by the present should also be included in it work.Former prime minister accused the incumbent government of jeopardising country’s security by almost tripling the payment of interest on loans than the defence budget for the fiscal year 2019-2020.Taking part in marathon debate on the federal budget in the morning session, the PML-N senior vice president said the government had reduced the defence which would stand at little over Rs1100 billion whereas Rs3000 billion would be allocated for payment of interest on loans,” Abbasi said, adding the country’s security was under threats due to increasing debt servicing. He regretted that it was the first government in history of Pakistan that was happy over reducing the defence budget. “Instead of reducing defence expenses, we should seek cut on many other unnecessary expenditures,” he suggested.Former prime minister also ridiculed PTI government’s tax amnesty scheme and constitution of Commission of Inquiry on loans while terming the target of Rs5500 billion set for revenue collection for the upcoming year. He said the PML-N government collected Rs124 billion from its tax amnesty scheme which was strongly by the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) which was in the opposition at that time. He pointed out that the sitting government while taking another U-turn announced its tax amnesty scheme which was bound to be a failure. “The prime minister has addressed the nation thrice appealing for tax amnesty scheme but not more than Rs600 million have been received so far,” he said, adding that it was due to shattering confidence of masses in policies of the government which believed in finding solutions to problems through speeches and abusing opponents.Criticising increase in maximum tax rate to 35%, he said there was no country in the world where tax payer could pay taxes at such high rate. He also regretted that the government had brought salary class getting Rs50,000 per month in tax net. “We exempted those getting salary uptoRs 100,000 per month from tax and according to FBR, that step did not have impact on economy of more than Rs40 billion whereas it had many other benefits,” he said, adding the FBR should plug loopholes in its system instead of increasing taxes. He questioned as to how the government would be able to achieve tax collection target of Rs5500 billion with present state of economy while it had already failed in meeting Rs400 billion target. “The new target can also be achieved only if inflation rate is taken to 25% and dollar is increased to Rs200,” he said.Abbasi while further criticising performance of the sitting government said the economic growth rate has reduced from 6 to 3 percent whereas the inflation has also jumped to nearly 13 percent from little over 3 percent in the last one year. “This is condition of economy in 10 months and what will be its fate if this government completes five-year term,” he said.Abbasi said the root cause of the problems, the country at present was facing was the 2018 general elections. “We need to see fair and free elections to address chronic problems, the dream of which is yet to be materialised in the last 50 years,” he said. He also suggested that the law of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should be confined to the past and the (opposition) was ready to face it but for the future efforts should be made to save the government and run country’s affairs. “Now none of officers if ready to work and sign any file by saying that they cannot face the NAB,” he said.Talking about present and present tax regime and amnesty scheme, he said the sitting parliamentarians would also not be able to justify their living style with their income. “In total, they might be using vehicle worth Rs10 billion which cannot justify with their income,” he said.Parliamentary Secretary for Railways and MNA from Faisalabad, Farrukh Habib said the PML-N leadership talks about giving respect to Constitution and vote only when it comes to serving their interests. “As to why they did not remember that article of the Constitution pertaining to education for all and as a result presently 25 million children of the country are out of schools,” he said. The PTI’s young parliamentarian observed that the golden period of country to which the PML-N leadership was referring to the period when a single family of Sharif made progress and prospered and then prime minister and minister had ‘Iqamas.’ Saying now the opposition leaders were giving big lectures on the economy, suggested imposition of tax on telling lies as the same would result in huge tax collections. He maintained that the opposition would not be able to block passage of the federal budget.Former Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq taking in his speech said the Leader of the Opposition in his maiden speech to the National Assembly, offered Charter of Economic but the same was misunderstood as opposition’s weakness and rejected by Asad Umar, then finance minister.Ayaz Sadiq while counting claims and promises made by the prime minister before assuming power said he had not been able to root out corruption in 90 days, instead of making promotions of officers on merit, they are seeing postings and transfers frequently, included electable in his party, included Chaudhry brothers, Shaikh Rashid in the government and now was welcoming MQM parliamentarians whom he used to declare as murderers. He said the prime minister also promised giving 10 million jobs but so far he had given only two employments by appointing heads of FBR and State Bank of Pakistan. “The Prime Minister should not speak such words on which he have to feel ashamed,” he suggested. He recalled that Imran Khan had also said that he would not announce federal cabinet of more than to 15 to 20 people but strength of same is above 50. Further criticizing the budget, he pointed out that the government has made cut on allocations for education, health and environment sectors. He said he had no opposition with Abdul Hafeez Shaikh but he had also been in Musharraf regime and then with Zardari government. “He should tell as to how much time he spent in Pakistan after completing his education and government job,” he said.
from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2Fqn8mU
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