An advisory board was established to incorporate input from small traders and shopkeepers into the shadow budget formulation process

KARACHI: Under the leadership of Dr. Farooq Sattar, a meeting of the members and advisory board of the Muttahida Business Forum was convened at the Central Election Office of Pakistan House. The primary agenda of the meeting was to assess the progress of preparations for the shadow budget and conduct detailed consultations on pertinent economic issues.
During the meeting, the members of the Muttahida Business Forum provided a comprehensive briefing to Dr. Farooq Sattar regarding the ongoing preparations for the shadow budget. Dr. Sattar underscored the longstanding commitment of MQM-P to present a pro-people shadow budget and recommendations each year. Given Karachi’s pivotal role as the economic hub of the country and MQM-P’s status as the largest party in the city, he emphasized the significant responsibility to contribute to the economic betterment of the nation.
Dr. Sattar criticized major political parties for predominantly proposing budgets that serve the interests of landlords and feudal lords. In contrast, he reiterated MQM-Pakistan’s commitment to crafting budgets that prioritize the welfare of the common people and the youth, reflecting a people-friendly approach. Central to MQM-P’s proposals is the emphasis on generating employment opportunities, which Dr. Sattar highlighted as a crucial step towards poverty alleviation.
“We advocate for budgets that empower the common people. In addition to the shadow budget, we are developing an economic program aimed at easing the tax burden on ordinary citizens by implementing taxation policies targeting landlords and feudal lords,” Dr. Sattar elaborated. Furthermore, an advisory board was established to incorporate input from small traders and shopkeepers into the shadow budget formulation process.