Durrak
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KARACHI: Government has blatantly slashed development budget allocated for greater good of the public by Rs100 billion but left untouched the project of constructing luxurious building within parliament lodges to be completed at a jaw dropping cost of Rs3 billion.Addressing the business community at Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce Industry (FPCCI), Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said the country was facing multiple challenges of rising oil prices, dire impact of floods on economy and deteriorating law and order situation.“The development budget has been reduced from Rs280 billion to Rs180 billion and more curtailment in expenditures will be made in the coming days,” he announced, adding government expenditures will also be slashed.He said the rising international oil prices pose a real threat to the country’s economy. The oil prices that stood at 70 dollars per barrel in February last year have now surged to the level of 100 dollars, he pointed out.This trend, the Finance Minister said, would adversely impact our inflation and balance of payment, adding that increase in oil prices was the last thing that the government wanted but, unfortunately, they were not in government’s control.