NA budget debate

National Assembly debate on the Budget 2019-20 finally got under way yesterday, with the treasury and the opposition benches agreeing not to disrupt speeches by each other’s leaders. The august house looked like a wrestling arena during the all-important budget session. While it was all chaos during the June 11 sitting of the lower house meant for budget presentation by the government, the sittings on the following three days meant for budget debate were no different. Treasury members did not allow Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif to deliver his speech to open the budget debate, in line with the parliamentary tradition, by constantly creating disturbances as part of their strategy to avenge the opposition’s noisy protest in the House during the budget speech in the presence of the PM.

Budget debate is meant for lawmakers to engage in a healthy discussion on the fiscal measures proposed by the government before giving them the parliamentary nod. For perspective, American president’s budget proposals only form a wish list, like a set of New Year resolutions, and Congress consideration of these recommendations is merely a starting point in a long budget debate that actually turns the American president’s proposals into a serious framework for legislation. In sheer contrast, our lawmakers — belonging both to the treasury and opposition benches — appeared least bothered about utlising this valuable time for meaningful engagement with each other in the interest of the common man and instead took the opportunity for settling petty political scores with each other.

While the budget debate did eventually get under way, Shehbaz rejected the budget calling it IMF-led and IMF-dictated. Shehbaz, as well as PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have already made it known that they would do everything not to let the budget sail through the National Assembly even though the parliamentary numbers don’t speak in their favour.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2019.

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