PA passes Rs617b supplementary budget

The Punjab Assembly passed a supplementary budget of over Rs617 billion for the fiscal year 2022-23 amidst strong protests from the Opposition. They vehemently opposed the budget, alleging it was illegitimate and aimed at undermining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

During Saturday's proceedings, Opposition lawmakers delivered fiery speeches criticising both the budgetary allocations and the actions of the caretaker government, which they accused of targeting the PTI.

Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Zaheer Iqbal Channar requested the Opposition to remove play cards bearing the message "release 804" from the microphones, but the Opposition refused to comply.

The Opposition lambasted the caretaker government and police officials for their treatment of PTI workers, alleging that police did little to combat crime but made concerted efforts to incarcerate PTI lawmakers and file false FIRs against them.

They highlighted a police report indicating that over 200 police officials were involved in drug abuse, condemning the allocation of funds for the police force while such issues persisted.

In response to Opposition’s queries, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman addressed concerns about missing details in the budget. He clarified that Rs208 billion was spent on purchasing wheat and Rs119 billion on road infrastructure during Chaudhry Pervez Elahi's tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab.

He contrasted this with the brief tenure of Hamza Shehbaz Sharif, during which little money was spent, and highlighted spending under former CM Mohsin Naqvi.

Following the finance minister's remarks, the Deputy Speaker initiated the process of passing the supplementary budget, prompting strong protests from the Opposition.

They chanted slogans and tore copies of the budget, gathering in front of the deputy speaker's chair to protest the approval. However, the deputy speaker prorogued the session after passing the budget indefinitely.

In response to Opposition requisition, Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan summoned a new session for April 1 at 11 am.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2024.