Fed
Budget fails to impress Lahorites
By: Jam Sajjad Hussain
LAHORE - The federal budget 2009-10 for the local
people shocked by the worse security conditions and the killing of
Maulana Naeemi seems to be a non-event and expressed their strong
reaction saying it was only the jugulary of words to please the
masses otherwise the common man was unable to bear more taxes as
were imposed in the recent budget.
Civil servants, columnists, poets, engineers, teachers, shopkeepers
and other civilians expressed their mixed feelings commenting on the
budget in a survey conducted here on Saturday. The Lahorites said
that they were confronting perpetual fear about their lives, adding
every civilian was feeling a sense of insecurity, as our police were
apprehensive about their own lives let alone they provide protection
to the masses.
Columnist Khalid Ahmad said keeping in view the inflation and
devaluation rates the rise in salaries and pensions was a slap on
BB’s PPP Charter. He said the people have to revaluate their liking
and disliking before purchasing something as the government was
putting more burdens on the masses. He further said the prices of
vegetables and other food items have reached an unprecedented high,
making impossible for the common man to prepare his monthly budget
in the wake of surging inflation.
Bank officer Irfan Butt said that the government was snatching the
right of living from civil servant by imposing professional and
income taxes providing only 1,000 increments annually. He said the
common man was facing ‘mini budget’ every after 15 days from
shopkeepers, who were beyond to check and balance from the
government.
Engineer Naveed Sadiq said the masses had been listening to this
budget from last many decades from every finance minister but the
condition of the common man has never changed. He said that the
government representatives were enjoying foreign visits but the
masses were left alone on the mercy of suicide attackers.
The News: June 14, 2009 |