NA session adjourned amidst ruckus by treasury benches

Shehbaz Sharif refuses to start debate on finance bill; asks NA deputy speaker to bring the house in order

The National Assembly deputy speaker was forced to postpone the budget session till Monday following a ruckus by treasury members disallowing Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif from speaking on the floor of the lower house, Express News reported.

National Assembly Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri was seen pleading with parliamentarians to maintain discipline so that the opposition leader could begin the debate on the Finance Bill 2019-20. The house, however, witnessed chaos when treasury members lodged a strong protest against the opposition.

Shehbaz, amid the commotion, demanded Suri to bring the house in order and refused to commence his speech on the budget.

“Should we create a similar ruckus when the leader of the house attends the assembly,” Shehbaz asked stressing that the deputy speaker should bring the house in order instead of asking him to start debate on the budget.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf presented its first budget on Tuesday with a total outlay of Rs7.04 trillion.

Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Khawaja Asif alleged that that he was told by members of the leading party that they were asked to create ruckus by the leadership.

Khawaja Asif rebuked the leading party for "insulting the traditions of the system". He further said that the ongoing political and economic crisis was a step backwards for the nation as lawyers continue to stage protest against the government.

He further said that the PTI had no tolerance and did not want to listen to any debate on the budget.

“This is the first time the treasury benches are becoming an obstacle in the passage of the finance bill,” he added.

PML-N leader and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the government did not want a debate on the budget.

He underscored that no matter how long it takes the leader of the opposition will speak on the budget.

Abbasi expressed disappointment in Asad Qaiser saying that the National Assembly speaker fled the lower house to escape a debate on the finance bill.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said the discussion at budget cannot start if the leader of opposition is not allowed to speak adding that it was not a parliamentary tradition.

“The government knows this is an IMF budget and therefore are creating disruption,” he said.