Hamza censures govt over ‘selective accountability’

Opposition leader blames spread of coronavirus on lack of strategy

LAHORE: The lawmakers from both treasury and opposition benches were at loggerheads in hurling accusations at each other rather than focusing on the discussion on the annual budget for the year 2020-21 in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday.

It was the first day scheduled for the general discussion after the provincial government presented its annual budget.

Following its tradition, the assembly proceedings started with a lapse of over two hours.

The opposition members termed the budget as a sign of disappointment for the people facing poverty, while the treasury benches believed it was pro-poor. Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, delivering his opening speech, said the country’s economy and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) could not work together.

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Lashing out at the government, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan was trying to avoid the foreign funding, Malam Jabba, BRT and other cases but his moves would not work as the people of the country had come to understand the truth behind the slogan of bringing about a change.

He said the government had failed to run the matters of the state, adding that it lacked a substantial policy to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. It was the result of bad policies that coronavirus had spread everywhere, he claimed.

He said 40 per cent crops had been ruined by locusts but the government had done nothing except making tall claims.

The opposition leader said salaries had not been increased. The victims of Sahinwal encounter had not got justice, he said, adding that poor people affected by several train accidents were also awaiting justice. “Where are the reports on flour and sugar mafia? When will NAB open its eyes on the Peshawar Metro Bus project?” he asked. He said no corruption reference had been filed against him and the country’s top court had remarked that NAB had ruined the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2020.