Opp’s uproar mars budget debate

PML-N MPA tears up copies of budget

PESHAWAR:

During the budget debate in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the opposition members raised a commotion in the house and termed the budget unconstitutional.

PML-N MPA Sobia Shahid tore up the copies of the budget while PPP MPA Ahmed Kundi advised the KP chief minister to negotiate with the federation about the rights of the province instead of making dialogues like actors.

The discussion on the budget in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was started by PMLN MPA Sobia Shahid. She said if the caretaker government was illegal then why the provincial government is passing the budget of the outgoing caretaker government. “We are with the government, instead of passing the budget, the government should send the matter to NAB and the Public Accounts Committee for inquiry into their funds,” added Sobia. She tore up the copies of the budget and flicked them in the air in protest.

Ahmad Kundi of PPP said that the caretaker government did not have the power of more than three budgets, then how can the current government present it in the house. The government has the majority, but it does not have a mandate to disrespect the house.

The budget of the caretaker government under Article 126 is unconstitutional and an action should be taken against those who resorted to the unconstitutional and illegal action.

He blamed the bureaucracy to put the caretaker government on the wrong path and added that it is also showing the wrong way to the current government. He urged the government to show dare and take action against the perpetrators of the unconstitutional and illegal measures.

He gave credit to President Asif Ali Zardari for giving the province its right in the National Finance Commission Award during his previous tenure, adding the province is presenting a surplus budget for that reason.

He said the province did not get its due rights for the last nine years, adding the province has the right to increase its revenue.

The PPP MPA said, “We are happy to see that the KP chief minister is talking about the rights of the province and we are with him for the purpose,” adding that he could not take the province’s rights through fiery speeches rather he needed to make strong arguments and hold negotiations.

Ahmed Kundi said the local bodies’ representatives have been demanding their rights for last two years but they are being denied their rights and kept deprived of development funds.

Published in The Express Tribune May 15^th, 2024.