'Budget 2016/17 will hit nation like a bomb blast': Opposition, independents speak out against govt ahead of Kashmir elections

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The joint opposition has rejected the 4.5 trillion federal budget presented by PML-N led government in Parliament on Friday, claiming that it will add to the plight of common people.

According to media reports, the Pakistan People's Party is gearing up for a strong protest against the budget, especially before polling begins for the upcoming Kashmir Elections, which is likely to be a hotly-contested race between the PPP and the PML-N.

A high-level meeting in Dubai chaired by ex-president Asif Ali Zardari discussed the key points of budget 2016/17. Among others, Bilawal Bhutto, Faryal Talpur, Chief Minster Sindh Qaim Ali shah were also present.

Related: Finance Minister unveils Federal Budget 2016-2017

The participants termed the budget to be "anti-poor", adding that the government had totally ignored Sindh, which generates seventy percent of total federal revenue, while formulating the budget.

Similarly, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi slammed the government and termed the budget pro-government, adding that there is nothing in it for the downtrodden class of society.

Read more: Federal Budget 2016-17: ‘Only thing remained cheap in country is death’

Jamaat e Islami Chief Siraj Ul Haq while commenting on the budget said that it was a "drone attack" on the people of Pakistan, criticizing for it being nothing more than fancy use of words.

Awami Muslim Leauge chairman Sheikh Rasheed also took aim at the Finance Minister, saying that he had presented false statistics in front of Parliament.

Jamshed Dasti, a former PPP member who is now an independent legislator, said that the budget was like a suicide attack on the masses. He also criticized the government for neglecting agriculture and textile sector in its budgetary proposals.