Govt failed to contain price hike of daily items: Qayyum.

Islamabad -- Senator Abdul Qayyum said the government has failed to contain the price hike of daily items. He claimed that development budget has been curtailed to just 650 billion rupees against the allocation of 1.3 trillion rupees by the previous government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. He expressed these views in senate.

He proposed a 10 percent increase in salaries and pensions of the government employees. He said local bodies system should be activated to improve governance.

Terming the budget as anti-people, Raza Rabbani said pays and pensions have been frozen on the directions of the International Monetary Fund. He said provinces' share in the National Finance Commission has been reduced. He demanded of the government to present details of the foreign assistance to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic in the house.

Minister for Narcotics Control Azam Khan Swati said no new tax has been imposed rather a number of duties have been brought down in the new budget.

He also emphasized on reforming the Federal Bureau of Revenue and introduction of automation in the tax collecting body to check corruption. He said no cartel will be...