Hussain Tariq reports 54% electricity inflation, asks how minimum wage workers will pay their bills
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MP Hussain Tariq on Sunday called the direct tax targets, set in the new budget at Rs 6.9 trillion, “very ambitious and unlikely to be achieved”, calling on Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to address his concerns.
Tariq said the budget is not just about numbers but also about balancing “debit and credit” and providing financial guidance to the people of the country. He said the PPP understands budget discussions “on facts and figures,” but the party has always emphasized the impact of the budget on ordinary citizens.
“If people benefit from it, that’s good, but if a budget makes things more expensive, then we think it needs to be changed,” he said, adding that discussions were underway within the government on the issue.
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Referring to the targets set by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the MNA noted that a target of Rs14.131 trillion had been set, which, like every year, was not achieved and had to be revised. He said the new target of Rs15.264 trillion represents an increase of 17% over last year, while inflation has been adjusted to 8%. “Beyond that, how will it adjust? he questioned, adding that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also pointed out that the FBR sets targets but fails to achieve them, after which a “tug-of-war” begins between the state and provinces over revenue responsibilities.
Regarding indirect taxes, Tariq said all members recognize them as regressive. He noted a revised fiscal target of Rs6.5 trillion and said a 17% revision had been added overall.
Furthermore, highlighting inflationary pressures, he said the sensitive price indicator increased by 14.75 percent, reflecting a significant impact on the poor. He referred to annual data up to June 4, saying prices of 51 essential items used by low-income groups increased.
“I agree that inflation is around 8% overall,” he said, “but there are other pressures as well.” The MP added that although gasoline prices increased due to war-related conditions, electricity inflation increased by 54 percent in one year. “If a person earns minimum wage, how will they pay their electricity bills? » asked Tariq.
“If he pays his bills, he will not be able to provide for his children,” he said, emphasizing that citizens should not be left helpless in the face of external conditions such as war.
The MP also added that the budget does not seem to provide a clear financial direction for the years to come, particularly in terms of job creation and economic policy in the short and long term.
On agriculture, he said he appreciated Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain for his efforts in the national food security sector. He noted that opportunities in areas such as GMOs and gene editing had not been fully exploited in the past, and said policy improvements had been made, but farmers still did not benefit enough to invest in modern machinery.
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He said farming often only generates a 50% profit margin while input costs remain high. Referring to the government’s remarks, Tariq said the finance minister had claimed that agriculture received special attention last year, but this year only limited discussions took place.
Tariq also mentioned that Rs117.4 billion had been allocated for agriculture, which he described as the backbone of the economy.
The MP concluded by emphasizing regional equity, saying it should not only be considered at the provincial level, but must also extend to investments at the district level, where economic tensions are most visible.
