Pakistan Federal Budget FY 2020-21: Analysis and Discussion Thread

[Syed1.]

It doesn’t warrant comparison with India, their GDP growth has outpaced ours consistently for most of those recent years, that too without any serious fiscal or current account crises that require belt tightening and reduction. Our army budget has been expanding at a rate that isn’t sustainable given the needs of the economy and available fiscal space. It’s also less about volumes, more about rate of change and comparative circumstance.



Allegations of corruption are a legal matter, what I’m talking about is budget allocation. The former isn’t always proven and certainly not quantified, whereas the latter definitely is quantifiable and a part of public record.

In Nawaz Sharif's case corruption is quantifiable and part of public record. You just chose to ignore it.

 

[Pakistani Fighter]

Increase of 11.85% proposed in #Defence Budget of Pakistan. Increase of 1.3% in #Health Budget is also proposed. 220 million Pakistanis vs 8 lakh Pakistan Army. Something really wrong here.

Doesn't matter. Type 052Ds need to be ordered

 

[Cookie Monster]

@Syed1. @Pakistan Ka Beta what @Jungibaaz is saying is that belt tightening is required across all domains...he is not particularly singling out the military and going after it with an agenda. Don't conflate it with corruption and money laundering.

Indeed corruption should be caught and money stolen and stored abroad should be brought back. However...separately it is also a fact that increased military spending cannot be sustainable over time if economy remains in the gutter.

Let's get back to discussing the budget.

 

[CriticalThought]

Although it's heartening to see pro-business attempts in the budgets, it would be much better if instead of saying 'Lower tariff rates on raw materials for X industry' it said 'Offer tax incentives to local industry to produce raw materials for X industry'. All these tariff reductions have a real possibility of increasing the current account deficit in the coming year. The government is taking a gamble, hopefully it pays off. Anti-Pakistan forces will try their best to cause expensive imports and cheap or no exports by bribing businessmen.

It is commendable that feedback has been considered in bringing relief to the common man. Then again, it is obvious that those who have the power for it, can forward their agendas in the guise of 'relief to the common man'. All the measures provide benefits to niche cases only.

The limit of 100000 for obtaining CNIC is dumb and non-progressive.

The incentivization of construction industry in a poor country is illogical. Only the wealthy will benefit from this.

The budget does not seek to change the status quo of people living in poverty by opening up opportunities of learning and employment that would lift their socioeconomic conditions. Education is being dealt with haphazardly, with no firm planning towards a national curriculum, no attention to primary and secondary education, and no effort to benefit from the capabilities of graduates on whom the nation has spent millions. Without this, the reality of Pakistan will never change.

Finally, I am going to call out the traitors who are whimsically using the word 'mismanagement' or 'mess' for the treasonous use of debt as a weapon of coercion by previous governments under the auspices of foreign powers and entities, and the collusion of the current government to let them go scot-free. The country is run by the traitors, for the traitors, who are cheered on by the traitors.

 

[Pakistan Ka Beta]

@Syed1. @Pakistan Ka Beta what @Jungibaaz is saying is that belt tightening is required across all domains...he is not particularly singling out the military and going after it with an agenda. Don't conflate it with corruption and money laundering.

Indeed corruption should be caught and money stolen and stored abroad should be brought back. However...separately it is also a fact that increased military spending cannot be sustainable over time if economy remains in the gutter.

Let's get back to discussing the budget.

After 18th Amendment and 7th NFC by PPP . There are not too many domains of federal govt . Majority of ministries dissolved . Federal share is now 41.50 % out of 100% . Rest go to Provinces . Health , Education , tourism and many other subjects dissolved to Provincial govts with increase in their NFC share . That i was telling them . Defense , Communication , Currency and Foreign affairs were mentioned as federal subjects by founders of 18th Amendment . We see this drama of targeting Military budget every year . Nothing new . There is no martial law from last 17 and esp 12 years , they should be discussing revamping FBR , PSM , PIA e.t.c . Accountability across the board , but they are happy to target military budget . Sad to say the least .

 

[Jungibaaz]

In Nawaz Sharif's case corruption is quantifiable and part of public record. You just chose to ignore it.

Actually he wasn't convicted for corruption, no case of corruption has been proven against him. Even Panama papers cases ended 3-2 with SC verdict saying insufficient evidence of corruption, so no conviction, the disqualification however was a related matter. The articles used in his case weren’t corruption related, that case was still pending in the lower court when the apex court used Art. 62/63 to disqualify him, this was not a case of proven corruption, but a case of a bench not being satisfied with the defence and disqualifying based on the assumption of a lack of moral character (sadiq and ameen), doubt alone and not a proven record of financial corruption. These may seem like mere technicalities to you, but they aren't. Anyway, if you want to discuss this further, I'd suggest you read my more elaborate post here:

https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/few-words-about-this-guy.662143/page-9#post-12253883

Feel free to quote and discuss it with me there, here I'm really focusing on economic policy and management. The current crisis (subject related to this thread) has almost nothing to do with allegations of corruption, it can entirely be explained by fiscal/economic mismanagement and policy decisions.

 

[Syed1.]

Actually he wasn't convicted for corruption.

I don't think I need to continue this discussion here or anywhere else when a person says this. Good day to you sir, but your naivety or feigned ignorance won't change the fact that Nawaz Sharif looted and plundered, raped the country and has been convicted of it as well. Don't bother replying back.

 

[Jungibaaz]

Finally, I am going to call out the traitors who are whimsically using the word 'mismanagement' or 'mess' for the treasonous use of debt as a weapon of coercion by previous governments under the auspices of foreign powers and entities, and the collusion of the current government to let them go scot-free. The country is run by the traitors, for the traitors, who are cheered on by the traitors.

I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding this thing IMO, it has little or nothing to do with either corruption or even treason. It's got everything to do with mismanagement and policy. And the debt isn't part of the issue, it's a sign of a crisis that has already happened and forced us to take on bailouts in the form of debt from multi-lateral lenders. Any government could have stepped in to power in 2018, best of intentions etc. They all would be here today with extra debt and the allegations you've made, doesn't matter who you might suppose it would have been, even if it was someone you yourself judge to be of good character.

I don't think I need to continue this discussion here or anywhere else when a person says this. Good day to you sir, but your naivety or feigned ignorance won't change the fact that Nawaz Sharif looted and plundered, raped the country and has been convicted of it as well. Don't bother replying back.

It's a fact. There was no conviction of corruption. We're talking in strict legal terms here. If I am factually wrong, please point out that conviction.

 

[S.Y.A]

Increase of 11.85% proposed in #Defence Budget of Pakistan. Increase of 1.3% in #Health Budget is also proposed. 220 million Pakistanis vs 8 lakh Pakistan Army. Something really wrong here.

Why are they increasing def budget, when they arent increasing anything else? Shame.

 

[Norwegian]

It's a fact. There was no conviction of corruption. We're talking in strict legal terms here. If I am factually wrong, please point out that conviction.

Assets beyond means is the definition of corruption. If you earn 10000 Rs per month from your day job and owns assets worth billions of Rs, something must be fishy, right?

Why are they increasing def budget, when they arent increasing anything else? Shame.

40 percent of total budget allocation is for federal government (this includes defense) while provinces get 60 percent allocation (this includes education and health). Now go cry about the military spending

 

[CriticalThought]

I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding this thing IMO, it has little or nothing to do with either corruption or even treason. It's got everything to do with mismanagement and policy. And the debt isn't part of the issue, it's a sign of a crisis that has already happened and forced us to take on bailouts in the form of debt from multi-lateral lenders. Any government could have stepped in to power in 2018, best of intentions etc. They all would be here today with extra debt and the allegations you've made, doesn't matter who you might suppose it would have been, even if it was someone you yourself judge to be of good character.

When Nawaz Sharif prematurely ended the IMF program mid way through, Christine Lagarde clearly said there are 'structural problems which if not addressed will lead to a relapse'. The other 'achievement' of this traitor is getting Pakistan out of the gray list. During his time Pakistan had a healthy rating from Moody's etc.

Question: Credit rating companies such as Moody's were completely unaware of the 'structural problems' hinted by Christine Lagarde? They had no idea of the massive debt levels being piled up, which would be payable in a few years?

Question: What did we get by moving out of the grey list?
Answer: The ability to pile up massive debt, after which we were sent back to the grey list.

Nawaz Sharif gets the boot, and the traitor Bajwa does a conference in Karachi about the economy. The establishment knew full well what was going on, yet nothing was done because they had to uphold 'democratic values'.

As soon as Imran Khan comes in, all of a sudden everyone becomes aware of the huge Current Account Deficit. Along with that comes the FATF pressure.

It is evident to even a casual observer that the debt and the FATF grilling have been engineered. And we have seen how it has benefited the enemy: silence on Kashmir. And Imran Khan is the perfect face of this submission with his pacifist approach.

I can tell you on good authority that the final aim is the breakup of Pakistan into 4 different countries and of course de-nuclearization. Zardari, Nawaz, Bajwa, Imran they are all facilitators towards this final aim of their masters.

 

[Norwegian]

It's a fact. There was no conviction of corruption. We're talking in strict legal terms here. If I am factually wrong, please point out that conviction

Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Captain Safdar were convicted for having assets beyond means (corruption) due to their failure of providing money trail that establishes ownership to their London flats. If the flats in question were purchased legally, they would have no problem to show its proofs in court. Yet NS and her daughter kept denying ownership of those flats where they are currently hiding.

 

[POPEYE-Sailor]

When we will start to educate illiterate Pakistani ? No focus on human material develop

So cycle will continue...

 

[Norwegian]

I can tell you on good authority that the final aim is the breakup of Pakistan into 4 different countries and of course de-nuclearization. Zardari, Nawaz, Bajwa, Imran they are all facilitators towards this final aim of their masters.

So you accuse state of Pakistan for having a plan to breakup Pakistan? How intelligent!

 

[CriticalThought]

So accuse state of Pakistan for having a wish to breakup Pakistan? How intelligent!

Maybe your Norwegian is better than your English. I accused Zardari, Nawaz, Bajwa, and Imran. They do not constitute the 'State of Pakistan'.