Punjab Assembly passes budget in opposition’s absence

PTI did not persuade opposition lawmakers to bring them back to assembly

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has set a precedent in Punjab Assembly by getting approved its first budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 in absence of opposition lawmakers in the house with clear ‘warning’ to keep the house in order.

The treasury lawmakers, inside the house, had a confident look on their faces without bothering about the traditions of the house in which the treasury always persuaded the opposition lawmakers to bring them back to the house.

While opposition legislators, outside the house, seemed helpless over the absence of their leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif who did not turn up to keep them charged. However, they lashed out at the provincial government for approving the budget without the opposition.

The treasury’s 41 demands for grants were approved while the five cut-motions of the opposition were not carried out owing to its boycott. The opposition in their cut-motions on government departments including police, health services, agriculture, education and housing and physical planning department suggested reducing the amount of each sector to Rs1 only. The finance bill was also passed through the treasury’s consent.

in his speech, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar made clear to all that neither they would allow anyone to commit something wrong nor let anyone stop the PTI from doing the right thing. “It is a credit for us they did not hide anything in the budget from the nation. The next budget will be produced with complete preparation,” the CM vowed.

He also announced two months extra salary to the staff of the assembly.

He also applauded the role of Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervez Elahi over his tolerance on October 16 when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers allegedly damaged furniture and other assembly equipment. He reiterated to show zero-tolerance over corruption related elements.

“Though there are financial constraints the people will not be burdened. The PTI government has presented the best budget despite difficult circumstances,” Buzdar said.

“Despite impediments, the development budget has been given to the districts. This is the first budget in the province’s history in which no gimmickry of words has been shown nor has anything been hidden.” He said that Punjab cabinet meetings will be started from southern Punjab and added the goal of good governance will be achieved according to the PTI manifesto. The next budget will be presented after consulting the assembly members ever before, the CM vowed.

Meanwhile, Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhary Pervez Elahi applauded the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Saudi Arab adding the previous governments ruined the country. He also welcomed the PM’s step to give relaxation of 50% in electricity bills to the farmers of entire Pakistan. He said in their tenure the half bills had been paid by the then Punjab government from 2002 to 2008.

Pointing out the PML-N, Speaker said the time has come to bring them on the track who had been spoiled for years.

The speaker had banned entry of six PML-N MPAs over their alleged involvement in damages caused on October 16 (when the budget was presented). The opposition observed a complete boycott of the house proceedings till the approval of budget on a plea they would not attend proceedings until the ban on entry of their six MPAs was lifted. The opposition claimed the speaker was rendering his partial role and not running the house in a way which could be expected from an impartial speaker. The opposition also claimed that pictures and videos of the wreckage were fake and were just created to malign PML-N.

Inside the house, PTI lawmakers passed a resolution against PML-N’s Nihal Hashmi over his alleged statement against the armed forces. A special committee-II was formed on demand of Law Minister Basharat Raja for probing the development projects, now facing an escalation in cost, they had initiated in their tenure and fix responsibility on those who caused loss to national exchequer. A committee was also formed to probe Oct 16 incident for which six MPAs were banned.