Federal budget violates 18th Amendment: Rabbani

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani on Monday declared the federal budget 2013-14 in opposition to provincial autonomy and therefore, in violation of the Eighteenth Amendment, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to mediapersons at a press conference in Islamabad, Senator Rabbani said that 25 recommendations regarding the budget had been presented to Senate’s Standing Committee for Finance. He was accompanied by several PPP leaders at the press conference.

Rabbani said that any change in the excise duties would be prevented.

Moreover, he called for the withdrawal of the increase in the general sales tax (GST). He also declared the income support levy to be unconstitutional and called for its immediate withdrawal.

He further said that the non-taxpayers had been exempted from paying their taxes.

Furthermore, Rabbani said that allowing the Federal Bureau for Revenue (FBR) access to the bank accounts of the Pakistani citizens was unconstitutional.

He further said that the wages of labourers must be increased to Rs 12,000 and increase salaries and pensions to up to 25 per cent.

Senator Rabbani also alleged that Rs115bn had been secretly reserved for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s discretionary funds.

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malick

Jun 17, 2013 06:53pm

No discretionary funds to any PM, CMs or any one else.

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Guest63

Jun 17, 2013 07:38pm

I do not understand the stand Mr Rabbani is taking/Pursuing in his remarks ! If the budget is unconstitutional (against 18th amendment as he says and who else can be authority on this subject as he was the author of this change as such ! ) then why bother suggesting amendments (25 of them ) Will the same unconstitutional budget Becomes Constitutional if his words are accepted ? Do not understand the logic of his main objection and then piling up recommendations to be implemented ? Is PPP not playing dirty politics to score points vis N here by mentioning such so that the hyper active SCP steps in and take sou motto notice even before the Parliment approves it ???

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Shahid

Jun 17, 2013 09:34pm

Why didn't Mr. Rabbani think of these when PPP was in power? now he is only trying to make hurdles and nothing else.

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Jun 17, 2013 09:45pm

A common citizen has no problem if FBR has access to bank accounts but I do not understand why Mr Rabbani has opposed this.

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m. a

Jun 17, 2013 10:31pm

I agree with his statement. I hope that Nawaz learns some lessons and repent for all his lies, he said before election. He has been elected as prime minister with lies and miss election.. I hope that he is fired before he does a great damage to the Pakistan.

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Saeed

Jun 17, 2013 11:18pm

It was the same government that conducted the great bank robbery when it froze foreign currency accounts after the nuclear tests. The Sharifs then transferred billions out of Pakistan with the current Finance Minister masterminding the massive money laundering campaign. This time again the government has set its sights on the savings of its citizens. FBR has been granted access to citizens bank accounts to determine how much money would be available to these robbers who would then freeze bank accounts by declaring financial emergency and transfer these funds into its own coffers..

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waleed

Jun 18, 2013 01:48am

FBR access to bank accounts would become convenient for authorities to catch tax evaders

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Zehri

Jun 18, 2013 10:28am

The problem with the prime minister he thinks his ex- general manager steel mill is very smart for playing with budget what he use to do for the company ---- sorry Mr PM its country's budget and not your company

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Mehreen

Jun 18, 2013 07:51pm

@Shahid: Because one thief knows, the other thief well

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