Rawalpindi, Muhammad Shadab Raza Naqshbandi, the head of Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, has voiced strong criticism of the new federal budget, arguing that it disproportionately impacts the poor with new taxes and fails to address underlying issues like corruption and wage disparity between the public and private sectors.

According to Pakistan Sunni Tehreek, Naqshbandi expressed concerns that the recent budget proposals are more aligned with the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) directives rather than the needs of Pakistani citizens and local businesses. He highlighted the increase in levies on petrol and diesel, which he said would lead to higher overall inflation, affecting everyday prices for consumers. Naqshbandi also criticized the tax distinctions between filers and non-filers as punitive to lower-income earners, who already face tax burdens on essential goods.

Furthermore, while the increase in government salaries was acknowledged as positive, Naqshbandi called for similar adjustments for private sector employees, suggesting that official monitoring should ensure these changes. He argued that the budget’s heavy tax implications for the poor, aiming to meet a tax target of 12,970 billion rupees, are unjust and not conducive to economic stability or growth.

Naqshbandi urged the government to retract the tax increases to prevent further inflation and to foster a budget that genuinely supports the Pakistani populace, focusing on sustainable financial practices rather than short-term fiscal targets set by international bodies.