Aimal Wali Khan criticises budget, questions government's relief claims

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Senator Aimal Wali Khan on Monday criticised the federal budget and questioned the government's claims of providing relief to the public, saying successive governments had failed to meet people's expectations.

Speaking during a Senate session, Aimal Wali said Pakistan had witnessed different political eras and reiterated the importance of respecting both the vote and the voter.

He said lofty promises had been made about providing relief to the public, recalling that similar commitments were made during the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government's tenure, of which his party was also a part.

"At the end, the government dashed all the hopes of the people," he said.

The ANP leader criticised increases in fuel prices and taxes, arguing that the burden had ultimately been shifted onto ordinary citizens. Referring to recent developments linked to regional tensions, he questioned the government's pricing decisions, claiming that fuel prices had been significantly increased following the outbreak of conflict but were not reduced immediately after a ceasefire announcement.

Aimal Wali, however, congratulated Pakistan for its role in efforts aimed at promoting peace and stability in the region.

Turning to the budget, he claimed that even members of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were unaware of the details of the financial plan before it was presented in parliament.