Pakistan's economy on ventilator, says PPP leader terming Imran govt's mini-budget 'regressive'

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 7 (ANI): Pakistan's economy is on the ventilator and inflation is at a 22-month high, any government that heeds the cries of the people protesting out in the streets would have put this mini-budget to bed a long time ago, said Pakistan's Peoples Party leader Sherry Rehman on Thursday.
"We categorically reject the mini-budget," The News International quoted Rehman as saying while talking to the press here.
Inflation in Pakistan has skyrocketed to a massive 12.30 per cent in December and had jumped from 11.50 per cent in November and now, the government wants to pass the mini-budget and increase taxes of 1,700 items by a whopping 17 per cent and exacerbate the plight of the people across the country, said Rehman.
She also said that the mini-budget proposed by the Imran Khan government in Pakistan's National Assembly is regressive and oppressive and the country's economy is on the ventilator.
"This is not governance; this is signing over the lives and livelihoods of hardworking Pakistani people off to the hands of the IMF," she Rehman added referring to the mini-budget.
There is a mini-budget every week; prices of all essential items such as flour, sugar, electricity, fuel and medicine have all skyrocketed during the tenure of the government and yet they claim that there is no inflation in the country, The News International quoted Rehman as saying.
Pakistan is currently marred with financial challenges as the country's trade deficit is surging high, inflation is rising and the government had to bring the mini-budget to hike taxes to meet certain demands of the IMF. The PTI government has been criticised by the PML-N, PPP and other opposition parties in Pakistan with some leaders demanding Imran Khan to resign. (ANI)