International Healthcare News: Pakistani expats 'ignored' by budget
07/06/10 12:57
Expatriate Pakistanis have expressed disappointment over their government's decision to leave them out of the federal budget for the next financial year.
Riaz Farooq Sahi, president of the Pakistan Association in Dubai, told Gulf News that the budget, which was unveiled last Saturday (June 5th), did nothing to help poor people and completely ignored Pakistanis living overseas.
"Several government officials visited us abroad and promised incentives but nothing has been given. The government should stop playing with the sentiments of Pakistanis living abroad," he told the paper.
The government proposed a year-on-year increase of 10.7 per cent in expenditure, while sharply reducing its budget deficit from 5.1 per cent to four per cent by June 2011.
To do this, the government plans to drop all exemptions from payment of the collection of general sales tax and implement a standard 17 per cent rate, rather than the previous 16-25 per cent band.
The Gulf News reported that many expatriate Pakistanis feel ignored by their government despite the significant income they channel back to Pakistan through remittances.
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