President Zardari wants govt to look out for common man
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ISLAMABAD: Following reservations expressed by his party, the PPP, President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday stressed that the federal budget must prioritise the welfare and uplift of the common man, particularly workers and low-income groups.
The president conveyed these concerns during a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at Aiwan-i-Sadr, according to a statement from the President’s Secretariat Press Wing. Both discussed the country’s prevailing political and economic situation.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Senator Saleem Mandviwalla also attended.
During the meeting, the PM briefed the president on his recent official visit to the UAE and shared key features of the federal budget.
President Zardari underscored that the salaried class, pensioners, labourers and underprivileged groups were facing severe challenges and that effective measures were needed to ease their burden. He also stressed the need for job creation and social protection to support vulnerable communities.
On Monday, the PPP and MQM-P, both key coalition partners, voiced strong reservations over the budget in the National Assembly, warning “it would be challenging for them to support it in its present form”.
Lawmakers from the two Sindh-based parties criticised proposals to expand the tax net, accusing the federal government of neglecting the province, particularly Karachi. They also denounced the Centre’s proposed move to grant the FBR arbitrary powers to act against tax evaders and non-filers.
The two parties also protested the “step-motherly treatment” with Sindh, citing the lack of development plans for the province and meagre allocation for the under-construction Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway section.
President visits PAF HQ
Later, Mr Zardari visited Air Headquarters and met Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to boost the PAF’s morale following its recent success in defending the country’s airspace against Indian aggression.
Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2025
