By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Lahore Information Secretary Faiza Malik has criticised the federal budget, saying the government’s decision to increase salaries and pensions of government employees by only seven per cent fails to reflect the ground realities of rising inflation and the hardships faced by ordinary citizens.
In a statement, she said inflation had increased by as much as 300 per cent compared to previous years under the current PML-N-led government, making the modest increase in salaries and pensions insufficient to meet the needs of public sector employees.
Faiza Malik said the cost of essential commodities, electricity, gas, medicines, education and transport had risen beyond the reach of the average citizen. Despite these challenges, she argued, the government had chosen to place additional burdens on the public rather than providing meaningful relief through the budget.
She described the budget as one designed to satisfy the requirements of international financial institutions rather than addressing the concerns of the people. According to her, key sectors such as education and healthcare continue to be neglected despite their importance for the country’s future.
The PPP leader noted that the allocation of Rs46 billion for higher education and Rs25.1 billion for healthcare was inadequate given the scale of the challenges facing both sectors. She said developed nations invest heavily in their younger generations and human capital, whereas Pakistan’s policymakers continue to prioritise non-productive expenditure.
Faiza Malik further stated that millions of young people across the country remain deprived of quality education and employment opportunities, while the poor condition of public hospitals is evident to all. She maintained that the budget offers no serious strategy to address these pressing issues and fails to provide a roadmap for sustainable social and economic development.
