Ishaq pledges to present pro-poor budget
By Khalid Amin

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Wednesday pledged to present a pro-poor budget. “The poor are the worst sufferers and we will re-orientize monetary and fiscal policies to support them,” he said while talking to media after attending the first Joint Workshop for Pakistani and Afghan Parliamentarians on Parliamentary Oversight here at a local hotel.
He said the coalition partners, in the past had been raising their voice against the pro-rich budget adding that the upcoming budget would provide relief to the poor segment of the society.
Underlining the need for rationalizing tax policy, the minister said it was unfortunate that the poor were contributing more than the rich in terms of tax revenues.
He said that the government was not going to take any new US aid package, rather it would focus upon its own national resources and utilize them for the welfare of its people.
Ishaq Dar said that during the ongoing fiscal year there would be no new NFC Award as there was no time left to prepare it. “This year the government will continue working under the previous NFC Award,” he added.
About the restoration of judges he said that it would be made according to the Murree Declaration.
Earlier, addressing the participants of the workshop, organized by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (PILDAT), the minister said both Pakistan and Afghanistan had rendered great sacrifices to win their parliamentary freedoms.
He said the instruments of parliamentary oversight in both the countries were adequate, however there was scope to add and evolve more avenues . He said the mainstream political parties of Pakistan, who were at present part of the coalition government had proposed in the Charter of Democracy that the appointment of the judges of superior judiciary should be made after recommendations of a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
“Some more offices, such as Ambassadors, Auditor General of Pakistan, Federal Ombudsman, Tax Ombudsman, Banking Ombudsman and Chairmen of Regulatory bodies can also be added to the list of appointments,” he added.
He also underlined the need for imparting training to legislators to fully comprehend their rights and obligations as a member of parliament. He was of the view that compared to what was available to parliamentarians very little use was made of their role in scrutinizing the matters relating to public financial management.
He asked the parliamentarians to settle their differences within the parliament and should not look for it anywhere, this he added was the ultimate oversight.
Speaking on the occasion Minister for Privatization and Investment, Syed Naveed Qamar said that in the past the input of the parliamentarians was not taken to make the budget more comprehensive.
He added that Budget for the Financial year 2008-09 would be announced in the first week of June. He added that Parliamentary Committees would be made more active and efficient for the welfare of the people.