By Chaudhry M.Latif
There is no denying the fact that the federal budget launched for the fiscal year 2023-24 has been formulated during multi dimensional difficulties. First and foremost problem is the subjugation of IMF which is a political motivated agency sponsored by the power who are opposed to Pakistan for there political objectives.
The second difficulty is obvious in shape of political instability due to elements who are believed to be following objectives detrimental to our security and survival.
It is well known fact that the budget proposals are initiated and completed mathematically by celebrated principles of budget procedures. At the same time the government in power has to come out with inspiration, vision, priorities and political will. The present budget presented by the coalition government is devoid of any input by member political parties.
Total responsibility has been placed on the Finance Minister who is already in defensive position due to price hike and deterioration of our currency. The Minister was handed over charge of Finance Ministry with over confidence and treating him as an expert of financial matters. No doubt, he had bright record in the past but this time he seems baffled and his faulty decisions are self speaking.
One conspicuous aspect of the budget is the unprecedented and fallacious decision is the unreasonable increase in salary of government employees which is also to be followed by provinces as well. It has two pronged drawbacks.
On the one hand when are already short of funds and are in grip of heavy loans and over drafts, there was no sense in announcing so high increase as 35 %, 30% and pension 17.5%. This decision has foolishly created disparities and discrimination when the calamity is the same and equal for all employees. The decision is also antagonistic to the provisions of fundamental rights ensured under the constitution. Equality before law and equal protection of law are the guarantees under the constitution. In nutshell the Finance Minister and his aides have proved an utter failure at this juncture of political turmoil.
The budget proposals are bound to result in political problems for future governmentthat would come in power after general elections. For the bureaucracy civil, military or otherwise only 10 % increase in their salaries could be plausible for all grade of service and for pensioners. The Administrative services group in civil service has already created disparities in salary structure and some employees are agitating their cases before the judiciary.
The Finance Minister has no legal or constitutional authority to create this discrimination in services, and create thereby distrust among the bureaucracy which is the backbone of state. The government is giving too much and in return earning rift among the classes of employees and uncalled for financial burden. The present government has at its discredit the waste of 89 billion of rupees in shape of free atta scheme. The Atta scheme was also launched without proper planning.
The present budget is another attempt to usher in gloomy panorama in the succeeding years. The reason being that pay once increased cannot be reduced in future under law. So the liability has been created for low justifiable cause.
The budget has failed to divise means of frugality which could serve as earning by saving. The non sense order of closing of business concerns by or before 8pm should be change by order of opening business centers by or before 9 am. It would save energy and inculcate habit of early rising. The shops not open by 9 am should be penalized. Similarly there should be one holiday in a week and six working days by starting at 8 am and closing by 2 pm.
That would again save energy and encourage getting of early by our princely elite of bureaucracy who have the authority even to supersede the order of the government. In fact they are the real decision makers at the federal secretariat. The budget has also been rejected by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
As a positive measure, the government could curtail protocol privileges which exploit our police force and the public is left at the mercy of dacoits. There should be inspiration and hope in the budget speech. The government could change the pattern of annual tree plantation tradition and could under take construction of artificial lake in all forest enclosures so that trees could survive and also could be saved from fatal forest fire. There is a big fire in Canada these days and earlier a similar mishap was witnessed in Australia. If there are several lakes in forest enclosures the forest fires could be easily controlled without colossal loss of wild life and property.
The government could also undertake schemes of saving every drop of rain water. In France, as reported by Ch.Zulifqar Langrial from Paris,each house is bound to conserve roof rain water for their vegetation and vegetables. In India solar panelsare placed on water canals thereby saving space and also saving 30 % water of canals due to control of evaporation.
In our brother country Turkey the government has decided to cultivate fruit gardens in territories lying as fellow land. Unfortunately, the current budget is devoid of any visionary idea or scheme.
Another important point missed by the learned Finance Minister is that coalition government has made some achievements and so which should have been highlighted budget could be defended effectively. The government is struggling hard to purchase petroleum, energy, and food items at cheaper rates from neighboring countries which is a positive initiative.
The writer is Retired Additional Chief Secretary and Advocate Supreme Court of AJK.
