ISLAMABAD, June 17 (Alliance News): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syeda Nafisa Shah has urged the government to seriously consider her party’s budget proposals, which she said were shared in a positive spirit both in and outside the Standing Committee on Finance.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House, Nafisa Shah stressed that the PPP had submitted constructive suggestions with public interest in mind and expressed hope that the government would respond positively.
She also called on the MQM to support the PPP’s stance on Sindh’s share of canal water, stating that MQM’s interests are closely tied to the province.
Highlighting the need for stricter taxation on smoking, she said the PPP had raised the issue in the finance committee.
She pointed out that illegal cigarette smuggling was causing a tax loss of Rs 300 billion and urged the committee to address the issue seriously.
“There are strong lobbies in both the formal and informal tobacco sectors. Whatever decision is taken, it should benefit the government and support anti-smoking efforts,” she said.
She added that efforts to curb terrorism in Karachi have largely succeeded, and the MQM should prioritize Sindh’s interests over political rivalries. “We don’t need to support PTI; we need to support the people’s interests,” she said.
Nafisa Shah also emphasized that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) should avoid acting like the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in its treatment of taxpayers.
Instead, it should offer support to the business community to expand the tax base and boost economic activity.
