ISLAMABAD, June 14: Chairman of All-Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) Shahbaz Bhatti has said the federal budget for the year 2004-05 is an 'elitist' budget aimed at offering more incentives and relaxations to the rich and influential.

In a statement issued here on Monday, Mr Bhatti said decrease in duties on the import of luxury motor vehicles was only aimed at providing benefits to a few elite of the country.

"Similarly, slashing of connection charges on cellular phone is also aimed at benefiting the few who can afford to keep a mobile phone," he said. In addition, he added, the finance minister had offered incentives to industrialists and business community in the cover of promoting industry and broadening the economic base of the country.

"But he completely ignored the condition of poor workers, labourers and employees working in the industrial and business sector as to whether they will get an increase in their wages or not," Mr Bhatti said.

"As against these incentives and benefits offered to a few rich, the finance minister has raised the price of edible oil which will hit the largely poor population of the country," he said.

Similarly, he added, the inclusion of Rs25 on account of TV licence fee in the monthly electricity bills for the consumer was a ridiculous and absurd move. "The 'economic wizard' that our finance minister is, should know exactly as to how many people have television sets at their homes.

Majority of the population does not have a TV set, yet they will be made to pay the licence fee to make up for the losses the government will suffer because of the incentives offered to a few rich and influential in the budget," Mr Bhatti said.

The APMA chairman demanded that the government should immediately fix the minimum wages for labourers which should not be less than Rs5,000 per month. He said if immediate remedial steps were not taken to control the damage caused by the budget it would only widen the gap between the different stratas of the society.