Punjab Assembly’s budget session for 2022-23 has been postponed until Tuesday (today) after the session was marred by angry verbal exchanges between Speaker Pervaiz Elahi and ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmakers.
This is the first time in the country's history that the provincial government utterly failed to present its annual budget owing to a deadlock that erupted first over the absence of Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz and then the chief secretary Punjab and the Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab in the official gallery.
Both treasury and opposition lawmakers were at loggerheads over the absence of CM Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Secretary and the IGP.
The session, which was originally scheduled to begin at 2pm, did not start until 8:09pm. As soon as the session began, PTI members complained that the chief minister, chief secretary and other secretaries were not present in the house, urging the speaker not to allow the government members to present the budget.
At this, PML-N’s Malik Mohammad Ahmed said CM Hamza Shehbaz and the chief secretary would come to the floor if the opposition gives a timeframe for the start of the session.
Read more: Punjab budget marred by uncertainty
'Strangers in the house'
PTI MPA Chaudhry Zaheeruddin said that there were "strangers" in the house, pointing at PML-N’s Attaullah Tarar who is not an elected member but was sitting with the rest of the MPAs.
This ignited a fierce debate in the house. "You (Tarar) should go from here. If you do not go then there will be no presenting of budget and no budget speech," Speaker Elahi said.
He later called in sergeants-at-arms and asked them to escort Tarar out. However, the PML-N members resisted and did not allow the sergeants-at-arms to abide by the speaker's orders.
As the house resumed its proceedings, PTI leaders Raja Basharat, Dr Yasmeer Rashid, and Mian Aslam Iqbal delivered fiery speeches on "the cruelty unleashed by the Punjab Police on the directions of CM Hamza Shehbaz" on May 25 when PTI lawmakers and workers set off for Islamabad for the 'Azadi March'
They deplored that the Punjab government was "protecting the chief secretary and the IGP” and said the provincial government has betrayed insincerity about governing the province by not attending the crucial budget session.
Also read: Punjab approves 30pc increase in salaries of govt employees, pensions
At last, the CM Hamza entered the assembly chambers at 10:30 pm upon which the PML-N lawmakers chanted slogans “dekho dekho kon aya sher aya sher aya” (Look who's here. The lion has arrived).
At this, Elahi asked where was this “sher” before and quipped "a sher does not hide behind the walls".
As the CM took his chair, the speaker and the PTI lawmakers began demanding the presence of chief secretary and the IGP.
Law Minister Malik Muhammad Ahmed reiterated that when the province’s executive was present in the assembly along with the law minister and the PML-N’s cabinet, the proceedings should resume.
PTI’s Dr Yasmeen Rashid said her main concerns were about the chief secretary and the IGP, adding that, "we will not let the house run until they are called here".
As Elahi observed that PML-N was reluctant to ensure the presence of the chief secretary and the IGP, he adjourned the house by June 14 (today) at 1pm.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ