Budget an FIR against govt about murder of economy: Dastgir.

ISLAMABAD -- Former federal minister Khurram Dastgir Khan yesterday blamed the incumbent government for economic calamity and termed it a 'lier' and figures given by it as 'fictitious'.

He was taking part in the budget debate in National Assembly where he strongly criticised the government for poor economy and mishandling of corona pandemic.

Mr Dastgir called the budget 2020-21 as an FIR (First Information Report) against government about murder of economy. He maintained that the government is linking poor state of economy with the spread of coronavirus but in fact it had already destroyed the country economically much before.

He said that the fact should be clarified that the economic indicators were worse even before pandemic comes. He informed GDP growth in his government was 5.8 percent and now it is minus 0.7 present.

'They bring down the GDP growth from sky and laid down it on earth due to their policies', he added.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases surge to 165,062 in Pakistan

He said the growth in agriculture sector was 4 percent and now it is 0.6 percent, growth in manufacturing sector was 5.4 percent and now it is minus 0.7 present and the growth in large scale manufacturing was 5.8 percent which is now minus 2.7 percent.

'Government claims improvement in agriculture sector but if the improvement have been made in reality then why people are forced to purchase essential items on such a high prices', he questioned, adding 'The Bureau of Statistics announced that the prices of wheat has been increased 25 percent.'

Former federal minister informed the house that the inflation rate touched the peak of 14.6 percent in January 2020 while prices of essential items increased 24 percent in rural and 20 percent in urban areas.

'Increase of prices of eatable commodities to such a high level means hunger is spreading in Pakistan,' he said rhetorically.

US court stops Trump from stripping migrant protections

He informed that the revenue collection of FBR in our government was Rs.3842bn and this government set a target of collection Rs.4150bn but collected only Rs.3829bn. He said it is unprecedented in the history of last 40 years that a government collects less revenue than previous one.

'Blaming corona bad economic performance is not justified as sixteen years' lowest cotton crop was harvested even before the pandemic', he stated.

He criticised the government for increasing energy tariffs and said that the mills have been closed and people have become...