RAWALPINDI - Common people, government employees, teachers, clerks, politicians, labourers, vendors, shopkeepers, transporters and people belonging to every walk of life on Friday vehemently rejected the federal budget 2016-17, presented by Finance Minster Ishaq Dar, saying the government neglected the poor and working class in it.

They all demanded the government to provide relief to the working class by increasing its salaries and slashing the prices of edibles and other items of daily use. 

However, some of the businessmen, including members of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), termed the budget as balanced and appreciated the government’s move to bring the non filers under the tax net.

While some traders expressed their apprehensions over government’s revenue target of Rs3600 billion set for 2016-17, the farmers and landlords were pleased to hear subsidy and cut in duties on agricultural instruments.

Riaz Mahmood, a labourer, while talking to The Nation, said the government failed in providing relief to poor class in the budget. He said the prices of food, vegetables, milk, yogurt, eggs, bread, flour, fruits and other items had been increased, but no authority was taking notice of this injustice.

“I earn Rs 600 daily after picking bricks and concrete tubs. It is impossible for me to feed my family with this meager amount,” he said, and added, “PML-N government should take pity on poor instead of sucking their blood.”

He also condemned the increase of Rs1000 in the basic pay of labourers and demanded the government to fix Rs 17,000 as basic salary of the labourers.

“The government only provided relief to the business class and farmers and neglected the other working classes such as labourers, shopkeepers and vendors,” said Sardar Aftab Ahmed Khan, an architect in Gulshanabad.

He said that skyrocketing prices of edibles had made poor people very disturbed, but the government was paying no heed to their miseries.

Nazir Hussain, a government employee, also lashed out at the government for increasing salaries of the government employees by 10 percent only. “MPs got 200 percent raise in their allowances and salaries, but the employees who run government machinery have been pushed to the wall,” he resented.

“I have five children and all study in school. Moreover, I have to run my kitchen. How will I meet my both ends with this meager increment in my wage,” he wondered. He demanded the government to announce 30 percent increase in the salaries of government employees. Sobia Naz, an MBA student, also criticised the federal government for presenting anti-poor and anti-working class budget. She said the government neglected the education sector as well. She said although the government had allocated Rs20 billion for Prime Minister Youth Scheme, yet no youth would be facilitated.

All Pakistan Clerks Association Chairman Hidayat Yar Bukhari, Central President Banaras Jadoon, Press Secretary Zafar Ali Billu, Vice President Chaudhry Mubashir, City President Malik Adalat Hussain and Chauhdry Abrar also rejected the budget, and said the association would take out a protest rally against the government. They added that the protest would also be joined by teachers and contract employees. They also pointed out that the government had not announced sufficient increase in salaries.

Many employees of Pakistan Railways also bashed the government for presenting an anti-poor budget. They said it was expected from the industrialists-cum-rulers that they would present such a disappointing budget. “We reject this budget,” they said categorically.

They threatened to launch a protest movement against the government. “The 10 percent increase in the salaries is not enough in this era of price hike,” they opined. “The federal budget 2016-17 is anti-poor and like an old wine in a new bottle,” said Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) officer bearer Malik Azam.

He said the government had broadened the circle of GST instead of abolishing it. “By doing this, the government snatched the loaf of bread from the mouth of poor,” he said. With respect to pays of the government employees, he was of the view these should be increased as per price hike. “The basic salary of Rs14,000 is not enough at all. It should be doubled,” he asserted.

On the other hand, the business community and the people associated with agriculture sector declared budget as balanced and people friendly.

The RCCI termed the budget 2016-2017 as a balanced document, and expressed hope that the industrialists and traders would make the most of the facility announced for them.

Giving his reaction to the budget, RCCI Acting President Saqib Rafiq said that a number of good decisions had been part of the budget speech, but a comprehensive reaction on this subject would be announced from the forum of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) after thoroughly studying the document.

The RCCI Acting President further said the announcement of subsidies on fertilisers and relaxation of duties on textile machinery was laudable as it would help boost the agriculture sector.

“The declaration that leather, carpets, textile, sports goods and surgical items are zero-rated is highly appreciable since it has been an outstanding demand of the exporters,” he added.

“However, we have concerns over the duty imposed on cement and capital gain tax on real estate,” he said, and added, “We appreciate the increase in taxes for non filers; this will help to document the economy and expand the tax net.”

Rafiq also lauded the increase in PSDP allocations for the next fiscal year. “Lowering corporate sales tax to 31 percent is a good step,” he said, and added, “The extension of super tax is a matter of concern.”

Malik Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi President, also said the government presented public and traders friendly budget.

Abdul Khaliq, Ashfaq Hussain, Subhan Ahmed and Zariyat Ali, the farmers, said the government did good by reducing prices of urea and duties on agricultural instruments.