KARACHI, June 7: The Economic Literacy and Budget Advocacy Group (ELBAG), a South Asian group of civil society organisations, institutions and experts, has termed the 06-07 federal budget “anti-poor, anti-working class and anti-civil society,” that has been framed to serve the exploitative class and vested interests of the ruling elite.

In a joint statement the group members, Adam Malik, Sikander Brohi, Naheed Afandi, Nasir Mansoor, Zaharatul Fatima, Yasmeen Lari, Jabbar Khaskeli, Dr Hyder Malookani, Ali Lashari, Wahab Pandrani, highlighted the government’s inability to check inflation, hoarding of essential items and price spiral of a large number of essential goods.