Finance Bill tabled in Senate
To foster fair competition, the budget should be incentives-free as such incentives distort the market, create an uneven playing field for businesses and can become a breeding ground for lobbying and corruption. photo: file
After the National Assembly, the government on Tuesday also presented the Finance Bill 2024 in the Senate amid the opposition PTI lawmakers protesting and raising slogans against the ruling coalition.
During the Senate session that was presided over by its chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani, Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented a copy of the Finance Bill containing the annual budget statement.
Speaking on the proposed budget, Leader of the Opposition in the House, PTI’s Senator Shibli Faraz, said it would overburden the poor with the excessive number of taxes.
He added that the proposed budget would make lives further miserable for the inflation-hit people.
In response, Leader of the House and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of the foreign ministry, said the opposition leaders performed a post-mortem of the budget, but they would calmly listen to him.
He added that the opposition should raise their concerns and give suggestions in the House so that a healthy debate could take place.
“Shouldn’t we increase salaries and pensions amid these times of hyperinflation?” he asked.
Dar said the government welcomed the opposition’s healthy criticism but not under the guise of political point scoring.
During this uproar, the Senate chairman also requested the opposition leader to remain calm so that the proceedings of the House could carry on.
Later, he adjourned the session until 10:30 am on Thursday (today).