Pakistan's Human Rights Commission has criticized the Union budget

Islamabad, June 19 (IANS). The Pakistan Human Rights Commission (HRCP) strongly criticized the country’s Union budget 2025-2026. The commission expressed concern about the impact of the budget on economic and social rights of poor communities. HRCP said in his statement: “This budget adopted with the conditions of IMF offers very little security for the lower income groups struggling with the crisis of inflation for a long time from 2022 to 2024. The government has reduced the income tax rates for salaries, but this relief is not sufficient to repair the reduced purchase strength.” The statement reads: “It is worrying that it was decided not to increase the central minimum wage, which is still 37,000 Pakistani rupees (PKR) per month. The figure also could not meet the general cost of a family of six members.” The commission said in provinces such as Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the minimum wage was increased to 40,000 Pakistani rupees, this increase does not compensate for inflation -induced damage in real income. The HRCP said the situation in the Sindh province in Pakistan is worrying, where 80 percent of industries do not follow the minimum wage laws, this tendency is almost the entire country. The Human Rights Commission said: “The award for the most important health areas (0.96 percent of GDP), education (1.06 percent) and social security (1.1 percent) are much under international norms and regional equation. Converting spent countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh much more than the BBP percentage.” HRCP secretary secretary Harris Khalik expressed disappointment over the failure of the Pakistani finance minister in raising the minimum wage. Raja Ashraf, Vice President of HRCP Punjab, said it is the state’s responsibility to ensure health care and education. At the same time, HRCP senior manager Feroza Batul described the budget as ‘anti -arm’ and said that women were unevenly affected. HRCP treasurer Hussain Naki said: “Its impact on economic and social rights of ordinary citizens must be discussed in detail before the budget succeeds.” The HRCP has requested the central and state governments to reconsider their fiscal priorities and to ensure that the economic reform schemes focus on the rights and needs of the most marginalized people in Pakistan. HRCP said: “Without sufficient investment in public health, education and meaningful social security, the promise of citizenship for millions of people remains hollow.