Gilgit (Ibex report): Former chief minister G-B Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman has said that the federal government has not cut a singly penny in the regular budget of Gilgit-Baltistan. The provincial government is lying and trying to mislead the people.
While talking to Ibex Times correspondent, he said the federal government has given Rs. 40 billion to the G-B in terms of regular budget. The provincial government has made an additional expenditure of Rs. 1.5 million on it. The G-B government is attempting to leave an impression that the federal government has cut the regular budget, while the reality is the opposite.
Former CM G-B said when he spoke to the provincial finance secretary in this regard, he agreed there has been no cut in the regular budget.
Hafeez ur Rahman said the federal government took unpopular decisions due to the current economic situation of Pakistan .The federal government also asked the G-B government to take unpopular decisions. Withholding Rs. 2 billion in terms of wheat subsidy is one of the unpopular decision made by federal government due to deteriorating economic conditions of Pakistan.
He said the federal government is taking unpopular decisions because of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to improve the economic situation of the country in the future.
He said the federal government has clearly asked the G-B government to reduce unnecessary expenses, target the subsidies, minimize the budget spent on POL and similar incentives. However, the provincial government is not doing otherwise. This has led to an increasing financial burden on people. The G-B government is also using it to build a negative rhetoric against the federation.
He said at present 75 percent of the federal cabinet is working without salary and benefits. On the contrary, CM GB is recruiting an army of coordinators exposing the region to a financial crisis. Amidst all this the G-B government is lying to the public about budget cuts day and night.
