Imposing nearly Rs375 bn worth of taxes on masses is injustice: Bilawal

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has commented on the PTI-led government's recent budget and said that the decision to impose nearly Rs375 billion worth of taxes on the masses is an "injustice."

Bilawal said that the government did not spare a single item of the common man's use from taxes.

"The government's decision to impose taxes on phone calls and then immediately retracting the decision shows that it is confused," said Bilawal, adding that Imran Khan's government is afraid of the public's reaction to the storm of heavy taxes imposed on them.

The PPP chairman further said that the government is "robbing people" in the name of the ‘PTIMF’ budget, implying a budget proposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"I reject the government's PTIMF budget," he said.

Two days ago, Bilawal had condemned the budget proposed by the federal government, calling it an "economic attack on Pakistanis".

The PPP chairman, in a statement issued from Media Cell Bilawal House, had said PTI would not be permitted to "play with the nation’s future", vowing his party would not allow Prime Minister Imran Khan "to conduct an economic massacre of the people."

Reiterating PM Imran Khan was "deaf, dumb, and blind" to the plight of the average citizen, he said: "The year might have changed, but the conditions of the people remain the same. A poor man’s house is still being deprived of necessities."

Condemning PM Imran Khan for his "lack of empathy towards the underprivileged", Bilawal said through the new budget, the premier had made his "enmity" towards the poor people clear.

"He has exposed his anti-people agenda with the new budget," he said.

The PPP chairman said that while the government was busy presenting "false facts" through the Economic Survey 2020-21 and claiming that the nation is flourishing, government employees protested against inflation outside the Parliament.

“People are now retaliating because they are aware of the puppet prime minister’s empty promises,” he said, adding: "They know it is Imran Khan’s habit to talk big and do nothing. He is incompetent and has completely failed to provide relief to the common man."

Highlighting how the facts tell another story, Bilawal said that an anti-people budget "was expected" from the PTI government.

“If the inflation rate, unemployment, and poverty figures have been historic during Imran Khan’s tenure, how can the budget be public [friendly]?” he questioned.