ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Miftah Ismail on Tuesday said the 100-day agenda presented by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan would require a huge monetary budget and that it “was not based on reality”.
“Although it seems very ridiculous to talk on the agenda given by the PTI chief, but if we calculate, the government will have to spend Rs1,600 billion per year extra amount to fully act upon the pledges made in the agenda,” Miftah said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad.
He said that PTI’s plan would require an amount of Rs50 billion per year for establishing a news province, while Rs120 billion would be required to counter poverty.
Moreover, Miftah said that to provide 10 million employment opportunities, as promised by PTI upon possible election, would need an additional budget of Rs140 billion, while Rs15 billion per year would be needed for easing taxes on Small and Medium enterprises sector.
PTI also claimed to reduce to cost of electricity in its 100-day plan, while also said that it would give special incentives to the export sector. This, Miftah said, would require a total of Rs155 billion.
Likewise to build five million houses, the government would also need Rs100 billion and Rs160 billion would be required for establishing wealth fund.
The minister added that in order to reduce taxes on diesel, the PTI will need another Rs80 billion per year whereas to give subsidy on loans to be given to farmers, the government will require Rs40 billion.
Miftah criticised the PTI chief for planning out an agenda without proper calculations on how he would generate the income to implement his plans.