Amraiz Khan
Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday took a jibe at the PTI government, saying that wrong polices of the “selected government” have increased unemployment in the country from 33 to 85 percent, sending millions of people below the poverty line.
“On the one hand, the masses starving for bread while on the other hand, the government is playing digit game of budget to hoodwink the poor people.”
Speaking at the Punjab Assembly session, Hamza stressed that both the government and opposition should listen to each other.
“I strongly condemn what happened in the National Assembly, whoever is to blame. Criticism should be for correction rather than criticism”.
“Members of parliament hurled bottles and abused at each other which eroded people s confidence in democracy,” the PML-N leader regretted.
Hamza Shahbaz said that every citizen has pinned hopes on the budget for getting some relief.
He underscored that they should make the budget session fruitful and adopt traditions that could be glowing examples for the Assembly in the future.
He said the government had done nothing for three years. Einstein of finance brought IMF to Pakistan, forty percent of the rupee was devalued. Dreams were shown by bringing Governor State Bank back to the country.
He said that petrol prices were increased the next day of the budget. The sweet dreams of economic growth and development were shown.
The IMF was saying that the growth rate would be two percent, but government kept saying three percent.
The Leader of the Opposition said that in 2008 sugar increased from Rs 55 to Rs 110, Mash lentil from Rs 140 to Rs 320, tea from Rs 750 to Rs 950, meat from Rs 850 to Rs 1500 per kg, electricity from Rs 8 to 20 per unit, medicines from 300 to 500 per cent and gas by 300 percent.
He questioned the government as to whether a poor man could live on Rs20,000. There is hunger and poverty in every house, people do not have money for medicines, electricity and water bills.
He said that 10 million jobs, 5 million houses, construction of dams, return of Rs 200 billion, police reforms, 90 days to eradicate corruption was a lie.
They lied about uniform curriculum for 20 million children and making South Punjab a province, he alleged.
Hamza Shahbaz said that the province of 120 million people is being directed by remote control from Islamabad. This is a mockery of democracy, an abuse of provincial autonomy and a constitutional amendment.
