Legislation: Supplementary budget passed, PA session ends

Govt criticised by opposition for lack of development in south Punjab

LAHORE: The supplementary budget for 2015-2016 comprising 37 demands for grants totalling Rs146.093 billion was passed by the Provincial Assembly on Wednesday amid protests from Opposition benches.

Winding up the debate on the supplementary budget, Finance Minister Ayesha Ghaus Pasha defended the demands for grants. She said these represented unforeseen situations.

She said in view of the global recession, the federal government had announced a Rs55 billion Kissan Package to provide relief to the farmers. “Half of this amount was provided by the Punjab government. This accounts for Rs20 billion in the supplementary budget,” she said.

She said Rs12 billion was set aside for the payment of GST on tubewells.

“In compliance with court orders, Rs8 billion was spent on enhancement of pensions,” she said.

Pasha said the Ganj Baksh tube well, whose existence had been questioned by some Opposition lawmakers, was in its testing phase in Zakaria Park in Lahore.

She said the Sahiwal Coal Project was a Chinese investment. “The Chinese are overseeing the recruitment process, not the Punjab government,” she clarified.

She defended foreign tours by government leaders, saying they were necessary for diplomatic and trade relations. “The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an example of the utility of such trips. The government bears the expense for its officials. The MPAs who accompany them bear their own expenses,” she said.

She also dismissed criticism of government advertisements, saying these were needed to raise awareness about the initiatives.

Three cut motions regarding grants for Irrigation and Land Reclamation (Rs2.69 billion), General Administration (Rs4.79 billion) and Forests (Rs21.97 million) were rejected.

Arif Abbasi, a lawmaker from the Opposition, staged a walkout when Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal did not allow discussion on cut motions beyond the stipulated time.

As many as six opposition members took part in the cut motions debate. MPAs Saadia Sohail, Qazi Ahmad Saeed and Sardar Vickas Hasan Mokal criticised the government for what they called its failure to ensure development in south Punjab and poor management of dams during floods.

Mokal pressed the government to construct the Kalabagh Dam.

Minister for Irrigation Mian Yawar Zaman defended the demand for supplementary grant for the sector, saying this included ad hoc relief allowance worth Rs360 million along with a 7.5 per cent raise in salaries.

Minister for Mines and Minerals Sher Ali Khan said the supplementary budget under the head of general administration included an expenditure of 90 sub-sectors of all departments.

Khan said a major chunk of this grant had gone towards salaries and allowances.

Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Khalil Tahir Sandhu responded to reservations on disbursement of funds, saying Rs4 million had been given under a Holi grant and a Christmas grant was being offered as per the needs of various districts.

He said last year, a Christmas grants of Rs30 million had been issued and Rs2 million had been spent on Holi.

The issue of police raids at the residence of PTI’s MPA Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi was taken up on a privilege motion. It was referred to a privileges committee.

Niazi said police had twice raided his house, alleging that he was providing cover to criminals.

The Leader of Opposition demanded that the law minister personally address the issue. He said the MPA’s brother had also been taken into custody during the assembly proceedings.

The session was prorogued indefinitely.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2016.