MEDIA outlets are busy analysing different aspects of the new budget. The government proposal to withdraw subsidies will result in nothing but a new … price hike.

Apart from concessions, relief and the enhanced burden of taxes one more aspect is important: the claims made in the 18th Amendment. Is any reflection found of this constitutional amendment in the budget? GST was accepted as a provincial domain in the NFC award, but the federal government retained its collection….

In the new financial year, the estimate of services taxes collection is Rs72.583bn. Sindh did not receive the 58 per cent which was its due share…. In the last financial year, Sindh was promised Rs21.147bn but it received Rs3.779bn less … History is witness that though matters are decided they are not implemented by the federation.

The federation was to pay Rs11bn for the repair of embankments, but Sindh has not received this amount as yet. …[T]hese are statistics provided by the Sindh government.

The 18th Amendment categorically decided financial matters. The collection of GST on services was made a provincial subject. But later … the chief minister said he would take up the issue at the Council of Common Interests, though it has been categorically stated in the 18th Amendment that GST on services will be collected by the provinces. The 18th Amendment is not any simple ordinance, it is part of the constitution. …If Sindh raises its voice, it has genuine grounds for doing so. …

Sindh has only demanded that the constitution be implemented. Whatever the people of Sindh are demanding is not beyond the purview of the constitution…. It is not only the issue of Sindh; all provinces are being deprived of their constitutional rights in terms of finances.— (June 5 – Daily Kawish)

Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi