ISLAMABAD
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar chaired an important meeting on Saturday to review the budget proposals received from parliamentarians, especially from the ruling PML-N, related to the budget and finalise a strategy to get the budget approved by the parliament for the next financial year (FY 2017-18).
An informed source said that the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue Haroon Akhtar Khan, finance secretary, secretary EAD, and senior officials of the ministry of finance and FBR attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed strategy to smoothly get approved the budget. The government wants the least dissent from PML-N parliamentarians, as their views could create trouble for the party. The PML-N parliamentarians from rural areas are demanding more concessions for the agriculture sector, as otherwise, they said the farming community would not vote for the party in upcoming general elections.
For the first time, the party leadership from urban areas of central Punjab is under pressure from landlords of central Punjab supported by landlord politicians of South Punjab, the source said, adding that the urban-rural divide has escalated in the party during the recent tenure.
The landlords want equal treatment while the industrialists like low markup on loans, subsidy on agriculture inputs, infrastructure, and market access for their produce. The source said that it was decided that a few of the vocal members would be accommodated through personal incentives.
An official statement said the Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Revenue and Finance Secretary Haroon, praised the finance minister for the proposals submitted by the members of the Parliament during the ongoing budget session in over the last two weeks.
They also briefed the minister on the feedback received from other stakeholders regarding the budget. They assured the minister that a thorough study of the different proposals received has been carried out.
The minister said that all proposals are being decided upon their merit and practicability. He said in keeping with the past four year’s traditions and the democratic spirit of the PML-N tenure, the government is accommodating maximum possible proposals from the parliamentarians.
The minister expressed the confidence that the measures announced in the budget will enhance the welfare and prosperity of the general public, and enable Pakistan to achieve higher sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
