Even those who drafted budget are worried: Abbasi

NA descends into disorder after a federal minister calls Sharifs corrupt

ISLAMABAD:  

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday declared the proposed Federal Budget 2019-20 an International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) budget and said the babus [civil servants] who made the budget were also worried.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has spread both hands for alms. It looks like the begging bowl has proved to be insufficient,” Abbasi said while taking part in the budget debate in the National Assembly.

The former prime minister said if the PTI government failed to collect Rs4,000 billion tax target then how could it collect Rs5500 billion taxes. “Prices of sugar, oil, electricity and gas have also been increased. For the first time in the country’s history, the growth rate has reduced to half,” he added.

PML-N leader and NA former speaker Ayaz Sadiq took a jibe at the government for promising to create 10 million new jobs and said two people – Advise to PM on Finance Hafeez Shaikh and State Bank Governor Reza Baqir – have got new jobs while 999,99,998 people are yet to be appointed.

Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Farrukh Habib said the country is blessed with reserves of coal and copper, and tourist sites. Lambasting the opposition, he said: In ‘golden era’ of previous governments, [Prime Minister] Imran Khan was making a hospital when former rulers were making [personal] flats.

The house on Saturday once again descended into disorder after a federal minister called the PML-N supreme leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif corrupt.

Taking the floor, Federal Minister for Aviation Sarwar Khan said: The Sharifs are sharif [noble] in name only. They are corrupt. This comment created a furor in the house with Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, asking him to give an explanation.

Sarwar Khan said: We today reaffirm that [Indian Premier] Modi’s friend is a traitor. Later, the chair stopped him from making further remarks. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said people should teach young generation about Quaid-e-Azam’ views on economy.

“We can’t find a solution to our problems in western thought,” he added.