ISLAMABAD: PTI Secretary-General and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan has slammed the budget 2024-25 unveiled by the federal government last week, saying that all figures and economic surveys are “based on lies”. 

“This budget was made by the economic hitman,” said Ayub while addressing the lower house of parliament on Thursday.

He termed the federal budget against the interests of the country and nation, saying that “investors do not invest in the countries where the rule of law is not supreme”.

The opposition leader also said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had asked the government to negotiate with all stakeholders to evolve consensus over the federal budget.

“The wings of this finance minister [Muhammad Aurangzeb] have been clipped,” the PTI secretary-general claimed, alleging that the government’s economic figures were based on lies.

“The economic survey [2023-2024] is also based on lies.”

He further said that unemployment and inflation increased substantially and per capita income also declined in the country.

On Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement that he would eliminate corruption from the country, Ayub laughed off the premier’s statement, saying: “The pot calling the kettle black.”

More to follow…