Third day in a row: Debate over budget rages on in Punjab Assembly

Treasury says outlay is people friendly, opposition disagrees

LAHORE: The competition between treasury and opposition benches went on for a third day in a row as the general discussion on the annual budget continued on Wednesday.

The opposition legislators lashed out at the budget again and underlined the miseries of people from their constituencies. They said locals were deprived of basic rights in budget, while the treasury benches first applauded the budget and then discussed the problems of their constituencies.

Amjad Ali Javed, Zaib un Nisa Awan, Asif Bajwa, Shehzad Munshi and others from the treasury camp praised the budget, adding the government has performed well in all sectors.



As the bell rang to wrap up speeches, legislators started underlining problems of their constituencies. They demanded an improvement in the health, education, irrigation, sanitation, sewerage and other sectors.

MPA Shehzad Munshi demanded an increased in the minority, saying the amount should be increased to Rs.2billion.

He applauded the budget and performance of the government, but complained of the lack of infrastructure and development schemes for minorities.

He stressed that the finance minster’s budget speech confirmed that Rs.3.42billion had been allocated in last the four years. However, he bemoaned that only Rs.1.71billion had been given them of which Rs.1.23billion was spent.  He asked that money be given for development projects.

From the opposition camp, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Asif Mehmood, Nabila Hakim AIi Khan, Dr Nausheen Hamid, Dr Waseem Akhtar, Khawaja Muhammad Nizam-ul-Mehmood and others lashed out at the budget. They said that while it may look pro-people, the ground reality was different.

Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal asked what change the government had brought to the health, education, irrigation and law and order sectors. He complained the rulers failed to establish a single hospital where they would send their children. “The government has provided the opportunity for the poor masses to enjoy ‘Sehri’ and ‘Iftari’ in the darkness.” Khawaja Muhammad Nizam-ul-Mehmood (PPP) said only one hospital was working for 100,000 people in Taunsa Sharif and people were committing suicide owing to poverty.



Dr Waseem Akhtar said nobody understood where the money of the previous budget was spent, adding there was no checks and balances. He lashed out at the government, stressing there were 117 projects with allocations of Rs.23billion in southern Punjab, but not even a single penny was spent on them. He added the amount all went into the metro train project.

He alleged money was allocated for the circular road in Bahawalpur and transferred into the account, but instructions were given not to withdraw or spent it.

He said this is the actual picture of education and employment was that two people with MA degrees approached him for a job as they were unable to get work elsewhere. “They are now sweeping the roads of Bahawalpur. He demanded flyovers and road infrastructure in his constituency. He The MPA finally asked that Quaid-e-Azam medical college be given the status of a university.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2017.