Finance Minister while breaking the promise has presented interest based budget: Sirajul Haq

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD, June 09 (SABAH): Emir Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Sirajul Haq has said that Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar while breaking the promise has presented interest based budget. He said Ishaq Dar could not keep his words to abolish riba. He said that Pakistan has to pay Rs 7,303 billion next year in form of interest on the loans, which is 55 percent of the total announced budget of Rs 14.36 trillion. Sirajul Haq, regretting the debt-servicing has plagued the national economy, witnessing an increase of whooping 85 percent as compared to last year’s figures.

This was stated by Sirjaul Haq in a statement issued on Friday from Mansoorah. Sirajul Haq said that there is wholly claim of government to collect Rs 9,200 billion tax revenue, adding that FBR tax revenue has been increased by 23 percent as compared to previous financial year. He said that during the previous financial year Rs 5,500 billion were collected in form of tax, adding that government has no better mechanism of tax collection. He said that the blood of the poor is being suck.

Sirajul Haq said that it is the demand of the Jamaat-e-Islami to impose tax on the income and Zakat and Usher system should be introduced, adding that the masses did not reply on the rulers as they have fear that their money will be embezzled. He said that current inflation rate is 38 percent, adding that the government has announced to bring down the inflation rate 21 percent, adding that after seeing the track record of the government it is not seen happening. He said that all hopes have been pinned with International Monetary Fund (IMF), adding that it is feared that to secure next tranche from IMF the mini budget will be announced in next few days.

He also criticized the government for ignoring the FATA merged districts with KP and Balochistan for whom, he added, a meager amount was announced as against the need of the areas.

Meanwhile talking to media persons after the hearing of the JI’s petition regarding holding of investigation against 436 names appeared in Panama papers in Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday, Sirajul Haq said that the verdict of the apex court against Nawaz Sharif in Panama leaks case in incomplete verdict, adding that Jamaat-e-Islami wants accountability of all 436 names in Panama case. Sirajul Haq said that it is our prayer from the day one that accountability should not be selected rate it should be held across the board. Sirajul Haq said that we are regularly used to file applications for the early hearing of the case from last four years, adding that the court asks from us that why we did not submit applications against the names appeared in Panama papers in concerned institutions. He said that when the case is being heard by the court then how applications could be filed with the concerned institutions. He said that if the separate applications will be submitted in the institutions against 436 persons it will take 436 years. Sirajul Haq said that he is hopeful that justice will be done with them, adding that this time too JIT should be formed for the Panama leaks case. 

Sirajul Haq told the journalists that the institutions mandated to conduct accountability had failed to fulfill their responsibility. The JI, he said, was demanding across the board accountability. He said the nation had pinned hopes on the top courts.

It is worth mentioning here that JI Chief Sirajul Haq had filed the petition under Article 184 (3) of the constitution, making the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Finance, Cabinet Division and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as respondents.
Unlike the usual protocol of asking for the formation of commissions, the JI chief, through his counsel, had requested that the top court direct the respondents to initiate an inquiry into the names revealed in the Panama Papers. Furthermore, he had asked for trials following the investigations and resultant arrests so that at least some of the public money could be recovered and brought back to Pakistan.

In that petition, the JI chief submitted that Pakistan was fighting against financial crises but the government and other legal entities are busy making illegal money by establishing ‘off shore companies’ that also go against the constitution. The petition lamented the lack of action by investigation agencies over the money invested under the shroud of offshore companies.

It said that many public office holders are also involved and have failed to mention the details of their assets, adding that they are all liable to not only be disqualified but also punished accordingly.

The petition stated that the implicated persons should be tried under the laws of NAO 1999 and FIA. The JI also highlighted how they have no other alternative rather than to involve the Supreme Court because the matter is of public importance.