ISLAMABAD, JUN 13 /DNA/ – (Staff Reporter) — The head of Pakistan Awami Quwat Party and Chairman of Rawal General & Dental Hospital and Rawal Foundation, Khawaja Khaqan Waheed, has completely rejected the recent federal budget, calling it “nothing more than a deceptive play of words” with no relief for the common man.

While speaking to a group of journalists, Khawaja Khaqan Waheed said that the budget contains no policies or reforms capable of changing the lives of ordinary citizens. He stated that the 85% of the population living in poverty has not been given any meaningful relief, adding that the budget is merely “a game of numbers.”

He further said that no reforms have been introduced for farmers, nor has any fixed pricing mechanism been established. “Pakistan is an agricultural country, yet no serious agricultural reforms or policies have been introduced. There is no clear plan regarding where revenue will come from or how foreign exchange will be generated,” he remarked.

Criticizing the government further, he said that while foreign investors are being invited and assets are being expanded, preparations are also underway to seek more loans from the IMF. According to him, the current budget is no different from those presented by previous governments and is merely based on statistical figures.

Khawaja Khaqan Waheed noted that the government has set a tax collection target between 15,000 and 18,000 billion rupees, but he believes it will fail to achieve this target because most of the funds are distributed to provinces through the NFC Award. He argued that unless the existing provincial system under the NFC Award is restructured, new provinces are created, and local government elections are held, the system cannot improve.

“The system itself is flawed and institutions are weak, so what kind of budget are we even talking about? A budget is not made through money alone; it is built through reforms,” he said. He added that reforms do not produce results overnight and that even if implemented today, their benefits would only become visible over the next 10 to 15 years.

He further emphasized that only a government truly emerging from the people and understanding the suffering of ordinary citizens can formulate comprehensive policies capable of improving the lives of the common man. He said such change would only be possible when sincere political forces and individuals genuinely committed to the country are supported.

Concluding his remarks, Khawaja Khaqan Waheed said that Pakistan Awami Quwat genuinely seeks to transform the lives of ordinary people and urged the public to support the party.