KARACHI, June 8: Speakers at a post-budget seminar on Wednesday rejected government claims of presenting a “people-friendly” budget for next fiscal and called for re-examining national priorities with more spending on health and education sectors instead of defense.

The seminar on “Federal Budget 2006-07, poverty, inflation, corruption and extortion” was organized by the Jamat-i-Islami (JI) Karachi and was addressed by former City Nazim Karachi Naimatullah Khan, economist Shahid Hasan Siddiqui, Amir JI Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui, Pakistan Business Forum leader Ahmed Parekh, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rahman, Abdul Wahid and businessman Naeem Rafi.

Naimatullah Khan criticized the government for federal budget 2006-07 and claimed that Pakistan's economy was being manipulated on directives from US, which does not want to see Pakistan progressing economically.

“Finance Ministers are either imported from the US or appointed on its directives since Ayub Khan's era. Unless capitalist system is replaced by the Islamic system of economy, people will continue cursing the economy and its managers” he opined.

Economist Shahid Hasan Siddiqui termed the budget “disappointing and unrealistic”.

JI Karachi Amir Dr Merajul Huda Siddiqui dispelled the impression that incentives were offered to common people in the budget and described steps announced in the budget for masses as “peanuts”.

He also criticized the government for enhancing allocation of defense instead of increasing spending on health and education sectors.

According to him, extortion, Ghunda taxes and street crimes besides poverty, unemployment and price-hike had made the lives of people miserable and unless Islamic economic system is implemented, people will continue to suffer.—PPI

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...