ISLAMABAD (National Times) In a thinly-veiled response to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi’s statement of terming the budget people-friendly, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Wednesday the government called this budget people-friendly without considering the floundering state of the economy.

He made these remarks during interaction with reporters outside the National Assembly.

The JUI-F chief said a minority government was ruling the country, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was not part of the government.

Later, speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, he pointed out that this budget was custom-made to burden the people with taxes.

“I want to convey the concerns of my people that despite government’s lofty claims, country is in dire straits,” insisted Fazl.

Recalling the subcontinent’s people’s perennial habit of not paying taxes to their colonial rulers, he said people would not pay taxes to this government as well knowing their taxes would be spent on debt-servicing to the IMF.

Besides, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif moved towards JUI-F chief’s chair in the National Assembly to meet him. The premier also met the opposition members including Ali Muhammad Khan, Asad Qaiser and Omar Ayub.