Former Governor Kp demanded immediate withdrawal of the 18% sales tax on solar energy equipment and the petroleum levy hike
\n Peshawar
\nFormer President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and ex-Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Ghulam Ali, has strongly criticized the federal budget, calling it a major setback to national progress and deeply disappointing for the country\u2019s youth, who constitute over 65% of the population.
\nIn a statement issued regarding the federal budget 2025-26, Haji Ghulam Ali said that instead of offering relief to the already burdened public grappling with inflation, unemployment, power outages, and overbilling, the government has opted to impose additional taxes, raising serious concerns about the direction of the country\u2019s development policies.
\nHe condemned the imposition of 18% sales tax on the import of solar panels, calling it a dishonest and anti-public move. \u201cHow can we impose taxes to protect local industry when our own manufacturing capabilities are not yet able to meet the demand? First strengthen the industry, then talk of protection,\u201d he said.
\nHaji Ghulam Ali emphasized that in the absence of public sector job creation, the government should have announced incentives for small industries and promoted self-employment schemes to provide skilled youth a viable path forward. \u201cWhere are the youth supposed to go?\u201d he asked. He noted that the budget offers no roadmap for job creation, skill development, or self-employment. \u201cBy cutting 40,000 government jobs and failing to create private sector opportunities, the government has pushed the youth into further despair,\u201d he added.
\nHe also lamented that the agricultural sector \u2014 considered the backbone of Pakistan\u2019s economy \u2014 was entirely neglected. No significant allocations were made for agricultural research, modern farming techniques, irrigation systems, quality seeds, or farmer support, which has driven the sector toward collapse despite Pakistan being an agricultural country.
\nHighlighting the tax on solar panel imports, he said that this step has made clean and affordable green energy inaccessible to the public, particularly at a time when electricity tariffs are skyrocketing and power outages are worsening. \u201cThe government should have subsidized solar panels for underprivileged areas or provided them at half the cost as promised by provincial governments, but instead, the sector has been burdened with taxes.\u201d
\nHe also opposed the hike in petroleum levy, warning it will significantly impact transport, food prices, and everyday life. \u201cHow will our children, who rely on a few hundred rupees\u2019 worth of petrol to get to school or college, survive under this crushing inflation?\u201d
\nHaji Ghulam Ali demanded immediate withdrawal of the 18% sales tax on solar energy equipment and the petroleum levy hike. He urged the government to introduce self-employment schemes, vocational training programs for youth, and prioritize agriculture and agri-research in the national budget.
\nHe concluded, \u201cThis is the only path to real national development. If the current approach continues, we will sink deeper into inflation, unemployment, and food insecurity. To revive our economy, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the government must announce exemptions from sales and income tax for small industrial\u00a0estates.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Governor Kp demanded immediate withdrawal of the 18% sales tax on solar energy equipment and the petroleum levy hike Peshawar Former President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and ex-Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Ghulam Ali, has strongly criticized the federal budget, calling it a major setback to national […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":403083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-483654","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n