The Central President of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Qazi Zahid Hussain, stated that following the recent budget, a new wave of inflation has gripped millions of low-income families. He said that the imposition of a carbon levy on petroleum products and surcharges on electricity bills will cause a significant cut in already meager household incomes. People are already surviving by taking loans and selling personal belongings just to get by. He appealed to the government to show mercy on the poor.
In his statement, he questioned those calling the budget a path to development and prosperity: “Can the common man, with his limited income, afford to pay electricity and gas bills at the current rates?” He pointed out that while the rulers take loans, it is the poor citizens of Pakistan who bear the burden of paying the high-interest repayments.
He further said that with each passing day, the income of the average citizen is decreasing while life becomes more and more unbearable. He criticized the budget for increasing government expenditures rather than reducing them, highlighting billions spent on the purchase of new vehicles and the luxuries of bureaucracy. He added that the elite class, far from making sacrifices, is not even willing to give up a single comfort.
Qazi Zahid Hussain demanded that all taxes on electricity and gas bills be abolished and that the government stop collecting GST from domestic consumers who use up to 300 units of electricity.
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