PPP's Naveed Qamar opposes handing over arrest powers to FBR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party lawmaker during the budget debate in National Assembly on Saturday demanded withdrawal of the clause allowing arrest of traders by the FBR.

“We told the previous PTI government that the NAB and the economy could not go side by side,” PPP lawmaker Naveed Qamar said on the floor of the lower house. “They understand it after three years”.

“This government has delegated the NAB’s powers to the FBR. When a businessman knows that the FBR will arrest and degrade him, why he will invest,” PPP member questioned.

“We want to inform the government, we will not accept the clause about handing over arrest powers to the FBR,” Naveed Qamar said.

He said, agriculture is our backbone, the world is working over the food security, but we are pushing it away. “We have the pretext of IMF for everything”.

He said the farmer only demanding the price of his crop. “A mafia is ready to get commission over every import. The farmer being destroyed in the name of the IMF”, he said.

“We talk much about the climate change but preventing clean energy in Pakistan,” PPP member said. “People installing solar panels on their own but 18 percent tax has been proposed over it,” Naveed Qamar said.

He urged for keeping the public interest ahead while presenting budget.