PTI Denounces Elite-Centric Budget at the Expense of Ordinary Citizens

Rising Poverty Pushes Millions Below Poverty Line: Waqas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) categorically rejected the federal budget for fiscal year 2026-27, terming it as “a refined exercise in elite self-preservation” that offered little relief to ordinary citizens.

In a statement issued from PTI Central Media Department, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram criticised the budget document, calling it “a refined exercise in elite self-preservation”, presented with “the sincerity of a merchant extolling yesterday’s unsold stock”.

Waqas stated that the government was presenting a 3.7pc growth rate as evidence of economic recovery while comparing its performance with that of the PTI government during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The previous administration, despite a global pandemic that paralysed economies worldwide, recorded growth approaching 6 percent in its final year while strengthening the current account and remittances,” he said.

He argued that the current government was portraying a more modest economic performance as a major achievement while relying heavily on remittances, external borrowing and factors that, according to him, had little direct impact on people living and working in the economy.

PTI CIS claimed poverty had increased significantly, pushing millions of people below the poverty line. “The poorest sections of society are left to manage as best they can, their circumstances worsened by conditions this budget claims to have mastered,” he said, adding that the government had acknowledged the impact of higher oil prices and flood-related losses on households while highlighting targeted subsidies introduced in response.

The PTI leader said the salaried class remained under pressure despite the relief measures announced in the budget. “The salaried class, already the most heavily taxed segment, finds meeting basic household obligations an exercise in sustained improvisation,” he said.

He maintained that reductions for higher-income groups and the abolition or reduction of super tax for selected businesses primarily benefited those better positioned to withstand economic pressures.

PTI CIS emphasized that adjustments to construction-related withholding taxes favoured developers rather than addressing the housing needs of the broader population. At the same time, relief for ordinary employees would be quickly eroded by inflation projected at 8.2pc.

He further said that over the past three to four budgets, the government had imposed a range of new taxes, reduced tax rates, withdrawn zero-rating under the Fifth Schedule and eliminated several exemptions.

“Beyond a few minor measures, the budget offers nothing substantive for the common citizen or small businesses,” he said. Waqas also criticised measures affecting small businesses and traders, including the introduction of a new fixed tax regime, the expansion of withholding tax on unregistered purchases, and enhanced production monitoring through digital invoicing.

He alleged that the government was increasingly relying on large-scale, faceless audits and stricter enforcement measures. “This approach does not aim to broaden the tax base but relies on harassment and coercion of already compliant taxpayers to extract more revenue while ignoring widespread tax evasion,” he said.

PTI CIS further alleged that the budget continued what he described as a pattern of “statistical flexibility and selective historical recollection”. He claimed the government was attributing positive developments to its own policies while overlooking earlier achievements and criticised what he termed the presentation of regional tensions as a source of strategic advantage and defence export opportunities.

“The presentation of regional tensions as a source of strategic advantage and defence export opportunities, even amid conflict, shows indifference to the human and economic costs borne by ordinary citizens,” he said.