PPP slams PML-N-led govt's 'solo flight' on budget 2024-25

• "PPP to face difficult situation if farmers not given relief in budget."
• Bilawal-led party not joining federal cabinet, clarifies Shazia Marri.
• PPP's parliamentary party to meet at 2:30pm Wednesday.
  

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Information Secretary Shazia Marri alleged on Tuesday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government in the Centre has not taken its key ally in confidence over the federal budget 2024-25.

Marri, addressing a press conference in Islamabad today, expressed reservations, on behalf of the PPP, over the budgetary proposals finalised by the ruling Nawaz-led party for the FY25.

The statement came from the major political ally of the ruling PML-N in the coalition government after Finance Minister Muhammad presented Economic Survey of Pakistan 2023-24, a pre-budget document containing the details of macroeconomic indicators during the outgoing fiscal year, today.

The Member of the National Assembly (MNA) said that the PPP’s parliamentary party held an important session under the chair of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari today to discuss the budget 2024-25. The party lawmakers conveyed their reservations to the top leadership, Marri said.

“We are facing difficulties due to the federal government’s attitude towards the PPP,” said Marri, adding that her party would face a difficult situation if farmers are not given relief in the upcoming budget.

“We were hoping that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would be aware of our position,” Marri said. She added that the federal government did not meet those demands which were “agreed with the PPP”.

She announced that the PPP parliamentarians will gather, again, in another key session at 2:30 tomorrow (Wednesday) to discuss the federal budget. To a question, she reiterated that the Bilawal-led party was not going to join the PML-N government’s federal cabinet.

On Sunday, another PPP senior leader Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah had raised reservations over his not party not being consulted on the upcoming federal budget 2024-25.

"The government neither told us anything related to the budget nor took us into confidence. We don't know what the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is doing about privatisation policy, taxes, developmental program," said the PPP leader.

Shah further said that the PPP does not know anything in terms of relief. He said he's unaware whether the government is making the budget or the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) budget is being imposed.

The PPP leader said that their proposals should have been included in the federal budget at any cost. "People will ask us what have we done. Will we tell them that we don't even know about it?" he questioned.

Shah further said that the Bilawal Bhutto-led party will have to see politically what decision to take regarding the budget — which will be announced on June 12.