
Vohra urges KCCI to submit budget proposals
Member of National Assembly (MNA) Arshad Abdullah Vohra has urged the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to submit its comprehensive proposals for the Federal Budget 202526 and guide the Muttahida Business Forum (MBF) in aligning policies with the economic interests of Karachi, Sindh, and Pakistan.
During a visit of the MBF delegation to KCCI, Vohra said that although MQM had submitted its own proposals, input from KCCI was vital. "The National Assembly's Finance Committee meets on May 22, and MQM will submit KCCI's proposals to support inclusive and business-friendly reforms," he stated.
Vohra commended KCCI's consistent advocacy on issues like electricity, gas, and water shortages, taxation, infrastructure decay, and industrial decline. He noted Karachi's substantial economic contributionover 67% of federal revenue, more than 90% of Sindh's revenue, and 54% of national exportsyet lamented the city's worsening business environment.
He highlighted SITE Area's decades-long water crisis and called for fairer taxation. "Salaried individuals are the highest taxpayers. With enforceable tax measures for the retail and undocumented sectors, we can ease their burden," Vohra said. Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, addressing via Zoom, praised the MBF's formation and said unemployment was Karachi's deepest crisis. "Industries are shrinking or shutting down. No new investment is coming in," he said. He urged the government to offer regionally competitive energy rates and create an investor-friendly climate.
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Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PTI tears into 'elite-driven' budget
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rejected the federal budget 2025-26 both inside and outside the National Assembly on Tuesday, calling it an "IMF-dictated budget" that lacks public legitimacy and launching a two-pronged attack: an aggressive protest on the assembly floor and a pointed press conference soon after. The finance minister's second consecutive budget speech kicked off under fire, with the opposition benches erupting into noisy protest from the get-go. As Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb began unveiling the budget, PTI lawmakers rose to their feet, banged budget books on their desks, blew whistles, and held up posters calling for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan. Throughout the presentation, they chanted slogans against the government, branding the budget illegitimate and anti-people. Undeterred by the uproar, the finance minister pressed on, while treasury members donned headphones to tune out the opposition's noise. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who entered the house amid the commotion, remained seated and unflinching, as ruling party lawmakers formed a protective cordon around him to avoid any direct clash with the protesting members. Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan led from the front, setting the tone for a coordinated protest and ensuring every PTI lawmaker played their part. Remaining on his feet throughout the session, he repeatedly slammed the budget book on his desk and signalled to fellow members to stay engaged. Lawmakers tore papers and flung them into the air at intervals. After the initial outburst, opposition members moved en masse toward the area between the speaker's desk and the prime minister's seat, continuing their chorus of slogans without letting up. The disruption echoed the tense scenes from last year's budget session, when the finance minister's maiden speech faced an equally turbulent reception from PTI-turned-Sunni Ittehad Council lawmakers. Then as now, the protests included loud chanting, desk-slamming, paper-tearing and close proximity to the PM's seat, prompting treasury members to act as a human shield. Shortly after the session, senior PTI leaders, including NA opposition leader Omar Ayub, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Leader of Opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, addressed a joint press conference, reiterating their categorical rejection of the budget. "This is not a people's budget; it's an IMF budget designed to serve elite interests," the opposition leader said. Ayub questioned the government's economic claims, particularly the projected GDP growth of 2.7%, and sarcastically asked: "Who counted the donkeys and did they differentiate between the four-legged and two-legged ones?" He dismissed the budget as detached from reality, pointing to deepening inequality, inflation and declining industrial output. PTI information secretary was more scathing, calling the budget "economic gallows" for the people, saying it was not a budget for the nation rather a public execution plan. He further said that PTI considers this a "Leela budget" - implying the budget is a farce that ultimately sacrifices common people like goats at slaughter while the elite's interests are protected. He questioned the logic behind token relief for the salaried class and warned that the development allocations were unrealistic and insincere. Opposition leader in the Senate, Shibli Faraz, added that the government had broken all previous records of elitist budgeting. The opposition leader in the Senate said that budgets have been made for the ruling class for decades, but this year's budget has broken all previous records of elite budgeting. Criticising the government, Faraz said: "When such legislation and budget-making takes place in Parliament, it is not just undemocratic but hostile to the country's interest." Faraz also noted that the Afghan currency had appreciated more than the Pakistani rupee, calling it an indicator of the government's failure. "When a government comes to power through Form-47s, it lacks the trust needed for serious reform," he said, warning that economic manipulation without legitimacy would not bring progress. Addressing the media, Faraz condemned the government's handling of inflation and taxation, particularly for salaried individuals. He remarked that the salaried class was being relentlessly squeezed, stating, "as much blood as can be drawn from them is being drawn." He questioned how a country could progress while functioning on what he described as "IMF crutches". Faraz also criticised the state's response to peaceful demands from government employees, noting that when government workers began protesting for their rights, the entire Red Zone of Islamabad was sealed off. "Those who ask for their lawful rights are treated as if they are doing something wrong," he said. PTI secretary general Salman Akram Raja described the document as one that "makes the rich richer and the poor poorer," saying the salaried class and poor people were burdened further. All leaders also reiterated their demand for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan and his wife, describing their incarceration as illegal and politically motivated. They called the ongoing legislative process illegitimate and demanded the restoration of constitutional order, public mandate and rule of law. Earlier, the protest in the assembly followed a detailed strategy discussion in PTI's parliamentary party meeting, held hours before the session. The party rejected the 2025-26 budget outright, terming it a continuation of policies dictated by the IMF. Lawmakers reiterated their stance that the current government had no mandate to present the budget, arguing that it was formed through manipulated election results and did not reflect the will of the people. In its official statement, the PTI parliamentary party declared that the government had no legal or moral authority to legislate on behalf of the public. "This is an IMF budget, not a people's budget," the party said, vowing to resist its passage at every forum, including both the National Assembly and Senate. It condemned the economic hardships faced by ordinary citizens, stating that while the poor were crushed under inflation, the ruling elite continued their lavish lifestyles unchecked. The party also expressed strong disapproval of NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq's conduct, accusing him of acting as a partisan figure rather than a neutral custodian of the House. Lawmakers demanded that the speaker act according to his constitutional role rather than serving party interests. It was also decided in the meeting that a privileged motion would be moved if opposition speeches continued to be censored on national broadcasts. PTI lawmakers further resolved to raise the issue of media blackout on their speeches in the assembly and to protest outside if necessary.


Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Salaried class gets tax relief
On June 10, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail had announced an income tax relief of Rs47 billion for the salaried class. PHOTO: FILE In a much-needed relief for the tax-burdened and inflation-stricken government employees, the government jacked up their salaries by 10% along with a 4% cut in income tax rate across various slabs in the federal budget unveiled on Tuesday. The government has taken a significant step to provide substantial relief to lower and middle-income sectors, proposing up to a four per cent reduction in income tax across various slabs. In addition, the government also proposed a 1% decrease in surcharge on earning of over Rs10 million per annum. Presenting the federal budget for fiscal year 2025-26, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb stated that the prime minister had consistently endeavoured to lower taxes on salaried individuals. "Keeping this objective in mind, we have proposed a decrease in income tax across all slabs," he said. "This measure will not only ease the existing tax structure but also strike a crucial balance between inflationary pressures and individuals' take-home pay by alleviating the tax burden," the minister announced, while delivering the budget speech in the National Assembly. According to the budgetary proposal, individuals earning between Rs600,000 and Rs1.2 million per annum are set to receive significant tax relief, as the government lowers the tax rate from 5% to 1%. For those earning up to Rs100,000 per month, the total tax amount comes down from Rs30,000 to Rs6,000. Similarly, individuals in the next slab who earn up to Rs2.2 million per annum will see a 4% decline from 15 to 11% in income tax rate on their salaries. Individuals earning up to Rs3.2 million will benefit from a 2% cut — from 25 to 23% — in the next fiscal year. Meanwhile, in a move to mitigate the brain drain phenomenon, which sees professional human resources facing the highest tax burden in the region, the government has proposed a 1% decrease in the surcharge applied to individuals earning more than Rs10 million per annum. The salaried class paid a staggering Rs331 billion in income tax in the eight months of the current fiscalJulyFebruary periodwhich is 1,350% more than the taxes paid by retailers. The amount was also Rs120 billion, or 56% higher than Rs211 billion collected during the same period of the last fiscal year. Simultaneously, the finance minister also proposed a 10% increase in the salaries of the federal government employees and 7% enhancement in the pensions of retired federal employees. However, he said that high-income pensioners would be brought under the tax net. Finance Minister Aurangzeb said that despite the financial constraints, the government had decided to give a 10% increase in the salaries of government employees from Grade 1-22, with a view to increasing their purchase power. Besides, special conveyance allowance for handicapped employees was being increased from Rs4,000 to Rs6,000. In order to reduce disparities among the employees of various departments, he announced the provision of 30% disparity reduction allowance for eligible employees. This relief, the minister stated, would not only simplify the tax structure but also ensure a balance between inflation and take-home salary. "This move reflects the government's commitment to making taxes fairer and reducing the burden on salaried individuals," the finance minister said. Similarly, the minister announced a 7% increase in the pensions of the retired employees. He said a 5% tax had been proposed on the income of pensioners of up to 70 years, whose annual pension exceeded Rs10 million. He said that no tax would be imposed on the low and middle income pensioners. He said that the pension scheme had been modified through executive orders in the past few decades, which burdened the national treasury. To rectify the situation, the government introduced reforms, such as discouraging early retirement and linking pension rise to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The finance minister also said that the family pension duration has been restricted to 10 years after the spouse's death, and multiple pensions had been abolished. Upon re-employment after retirement, an individual will have to choose between pension and salary.


Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Proposed Finance bill moved in Senate
ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Tuesday, moved a copy of the proposed federal budget in the Senate amidst strong protest by the opposition that dismissed the legislative draft as 'anti-poor.' In the brief Senate sitting, the finance minister laid a copy of the proposed Finance Bill 2025, shortly after presenting it in the National Assembly, in the Senate, in accordance with the relevant constitutional provisions, following which, Chairman Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani directed the senators to share their recommendations, if any, on the bill, latest by Thursday, 12 June, 5 pm. The chairman then referred the bill to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue with the direction to finalise its recommendations on the bill by Friday, 13 June. Amidst continued sloganeering against the proposed federal budget, the chairman Senate adjourned the House till Friday. The Upper House of the Parliament can hold extensive debate on the finance bill and devise recommendations accordingly, but it has no significant role in budgetary legislation, since it is completely up to the National Assembly to either completely or partially accept those recommendations or reject them, partially or completely. Article 73 of the Constitution of Pakistan, which deals with parliamentary business with respect to money bills, reads a money bill shall 'originate in the National Assembly: Provided that simultaneously when a money bill, including the finance bill containing the annual budget statement, is presented in the National Assembly, a copy thereof shall be transmitted to the Senate which may, within 14 days, make recommendations thereon to the National Assembly.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025