NA will pass budget by June 28

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly will pass the federal budget for fiscal 2010-11 on June 28 after a three-week general debate. At a house business advisory committee’s meeting on Thursday, parliamentary leaders of all parties decided that the budget debate will take place between June 8 and 21.The government is set to present the federal budget to the National Assembly on June 5.

Chaired by National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, the committee decided that an equal number of members from the government and the opposition parties will be allowed to take part in the debate.

After the completion of the debate on June 21, the house will then give a clause-by-clause approval of the entire budget. The process is to be completed by June 28, the committee decided as the financial year in Pakistan begins from July 1.The committee also decided that the national assembly sessions will be held from Monday to Saturday in the morning while the question hour will remain suspended during the process.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2010.