Salahuddin Haider
BUDGETARY measures for fiscal 2020-2021, presented last week, surely is aimed at finding the best possible solutions to problems, and that too under extremely difficult circumstances where mounting debt repayments and corona pandemic worsened economy, instead of helping it to improve. Analysed closely, the exercise to control deficit gaps, overcome the tight monetary position, and ensuring relief at the same time, must have been a nightmare for planners and economists.
The fact that they were overworked, and overburdened need to be appreciated instead of lambasting them with criticism. Surely, Tehreek Insaaf’s government second budget of its term, beginning August 2018, was not a joke when a government, inexperienced with the tricks of the trade, which is State governance in this case, but the way Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team of experts handled the situation, deserves atleast some credit.
They had inherited an economy almost in tatters, turning the salvage exercise nothing short of Herculean exercise, and yet when the economy had begun to show signs of improvement with direct foreign aid, remittances, and exports all depicting upward trend, the Pandemic struck like an unpredictable strike of lightning from the skies.
Those at the helm were naturally taken aback, had very little option but to accept things as fait accompli, but thanks to Imran Khan’s celebrity status, and his repeated appeals to international aid agencies, and richer nations to help those in trouble, clicked at clicked at the right time.
The International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, The United States itself, and the UK governments, contributing significantly to Pakistan’s corona relief measures. Such an unlikely assistance was like blessing in disguise, but Imran’s own personality had a great deal to do with it. And if despite these best efforts, Economy and Development minister Hammad Azhar had courageously faced the roar and the playcard display from opposition benches, he deserved full marks.
The opposition job, in any democratic dispensation is to attack the government, but the aim should be to keep it in check, and not allow it to go wide off the mark but such tendencies are found only in developing world.
In established democracies like US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, etc, the opposition does go for a dig at the government but simultaneously a bi-partisan display of spirit is also witnessed.
The problems being faced by their respective countries, are dealt with on merit. In Pakistan, the opposition, unfortunately, has a simple plan to pull down the government with a view to deny it the power and pelf, but remains clueless as to how handle the aftermath. Bilawal Bhutto, Shahbaz Sharif, Nafeesa Shah all had all given their viewpoints, but should have come out with possible solutions also, which was just not there.
In writing these lines, this scribe is not unmindful of the respect that the opposition deserves, but opposition for opposition’s sake idea needs a review now. Any way, the Budget has shown best possible relief under the circumstances to deserving ones, especially the poorer segments of the society, daily wage earners, exports oriented industries, locally manufactured cell phones where sales and other taxes have been either totally erased, or substantially reduced.
Prime minister’s house and office expenses had been reduced by Rs 48 crore in a short span of two years, Presidency too has cut down its budget, and above all, army chief General Qamar Bajwa’s consent to freeze the defence budget at its present level should not go unnoticed. Such positive steps have been conveniently ignored by critics.
Experts opinion that the budget aims for trillion rupee tax revenue without an action plan needs sincere soul searching. The government must come out with proposals s to achieve such a massive target, particularly when sales and other taxes have been cut down.
The FBR should be in for a trial of its capabilities. Deficit has been worked out at Rs 3,19 trillion, PSDP slashed to Rs 650 billion, Rs 2,946 trillion set aside for debt servicing and FBR collection target set at Rs 4.963 trillion. Subsidies cut down by 48 percent, Rs 70 billion earmarked for corona-virus related schemes, allocation for Ehsass Programme increased from Rs 187 billion to Rs 208 billion,The three Karachi hospitals given Rs 14 billion anad a support package announced for health workers.
Salaries of government servants and pensions had to be frozen at present level because of unseen pressures. Now if keenly observed the budget does serve the purpose of turning the wheel around, although it is no easy task, an surely will take much longer than is being assessed.
