The debate on the federal budget continued in the National Assembly on Sunday, with opposition and government lawmakers presenting contrasting views on the country's economic situation and the government's financial plans, 24NewsHD TV reported.
Speaking during the session, PTI lawmaker Shandana Gulzar Khan strongly criticized the proposed budget, saying it would mainly benefit the rich while increasing difficulties for ordinary people.
She said the budget did not represent the interests of political parties but rather those of a few influential political families.
According to her, ordinary citizens are forced to bear the burden of debts while the wealthy continue to enjoy benefits.
She claimed that this budget is meant by the politicians rather than the two families who have been ruling the country for a long time.
She questioned why subsidies for rich people were not being reduced and asked whether a poor Pakistani could even afford to travel by air.
Shandana said the government had failed to provide sufficient relief to the public and described the budget as ineffective in addressing the country's major problems.
She also expressed concern over the law and order situation in her province, saying it had suffered heavily from violence and unrest.
The PTI lawmaker reaffirmed her support for Pakistan's armed forces and the families of martyrs, adding that the people of her province had paid a heavy price in the fight against terrorism and insecurity.
PPP MNA Mahesh Kumar Malani, however, welcomed the budget and said it was a positive sign that the National Finance Commission (NFC) formula had not been changed.
He termed it an achievement for the Pakistan Peoples Party and said the coalition government would remain stable as long as it enjoyed the PPP's support.
Malani said he wanted government employees to receive a bigger salary increase and acknowledged that many young people were worried about the shortage of job opportunities.
He also congratulated the PPP leadership on the party's victory in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
The PPP lawmaker stressed the need to promote public-private partnerships to help reduce dependence on loans from the IMF.
He also raised concerns about water shortages in Sindh, alleging that the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was not ensuring fair water distribution.
Referring to the situation in Tharparkar, Malani said many residents were still struggling to get access to clean drinking water and urged the government to address the issue.
Meanwhile, PML-N lawmaker Tahira Aurangzeb defended the government's economic policies, saying Parliament had continued its work despite difficult political and economic conditions.
She said economic stability was necessary for a strong defence and a secure country.
According to her, the government's first two years were affected by protests, sit-ins and political tensions, which slowed economic progress and disrupted governance.
Tahira stressed that political stability was essential for Pakistan's development and warned that continued instability could encourage the country's enemies.
Praising Pakistan's armed forces, she said the country had successfully faced serious security challenges despite confronting a much stronger opponent.
She also called for a further increase in defence spending, saying national security should remain a top priority.
The budget debate is expected to continue in the coming days before Parliament votes on the government's financial proposals for the next fiscal year.