THE budget has come and gone, as far as parliament is concerned. The PPP showed much concern and made much noise but then quietly voted for it, while the PTI couldn’t even put up much of a noisy show in parliament. They were far too busy fighting each other.

And so the PML-N has successfully passed a budget, which has been more widely criticised than any in the recent past; when confronted with criticism, the party continues to blandly remind us all that everyone knew this was going to be a ‘difficult’ budget. Of course, what they conveniently ignore is that the state, the politicians, the bureaucracy, and the military have managed to avoid any burden or difficulty while the salaried class and the more vulnerable people are left to carry the burden, through direct and indirect taxes.

Expenses in government departments have gone up; salaries and pensions have gone up; bonuses are being given generously. But for those outside the ‘state’, good news is downloading at the speed of their internet. Hope is a tiny bird, which is sitting where only a few in government can see it.

Consider the finance minister’s latest press conference on Sunday. Pension reform is in the works, he says, as is tax on traders. Reducing expenses and shutting down departments is also in the pipeline. Passing responsibilities (read: expenses) on to the provinces is also being discussed.

Its Camelot in the making but for those stuck in the purgatory called the tax net, hell........

© Dawn