ISLAMABAD, June 15: Former prime minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto has termed the budget 2004-05 "a public relations exercise aimed at covering up the dismal economic situation".

In a statement issued here by the PPP media cell, the party chairperson said since the military takeover, the rulers fudged the figures to paint rosy pictures while pursuing a policy that exploited the working class.

Ms Bhutto said the 'anti-people budget' proved that an unrepresentative regime could never resolve the problems of the masses.