Chairman PTI Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Sunday criticised the federal budget for 2026-27, alleging that it failed to provide meaningful relief to the public despite increasing economic hardships faced by citizens. Speaking during the budget debate in the National Assembly, Gohar said the government had overburdened the people while offering no clear plan to reduce the cost of essential utilities and services, including electricity, gas and medicines.
He expressed concern over the recent increase in salaries and allowances of lawmakers and ministers, saying a 200 percent raise for members of parliament and a 180 percent increase for ministers was difficult to justify at a time when ordinary citizens were struggling with inflation. “The rulers can earn the trust and respect of the people if they choose to live like the common man,” he remarked.
Criticism of Economic Policies
The PTI chairman said the government had failed to undertake fundamental economic reforms and lacked a comprehensive strategy to reduce the country's dependence on loans. He argued that continued borrowing, coupled with the depreciation of the rupee and the rising value of the dollar, reflected weaknesses in the government's economic policies. Gohar further claimed that the government was facing difficulties in meeting even strategic national requirements and called for greater transparency in presenting economic data to the public.
Demand for Fiscal Prudence
He urged the government to reduce its expenditures and adopt prudent fiscal management to ease the burden on citizens. Highlighting the impact of rising costs, the PTI leader said increasing prices of electricity, gas, petroleum products and medicines had made life difficult for the people. He also called for greater transparency and an effective distribution mechanism in the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), stressing the need for honest and people-centric decision-making.
