PPP boycott mars NA session

ISLAMABAD:

Members of the National Assembly continued the budget debate on the second consecutive day on Friday, amid absence of federal ministers and boycott from the PPP, a major government ally.

During the session, not only the opposition, but government ally MQM-P, also criticised the budget. The opposition Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) asked the speaker to take steps to ensure ministers’ presence in the assembly during the budget debate.

The PPP continued its boycott of the session, as it nominated only four lawmakers, Shagufta Jumani, Shazia Marri, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and Dr Nafisa Shah, to attend the session, which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, who also belonged to the PPP.

Speaking on the floor, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub demanded that salaries of the finance minister and other ministers should be stopped for not participating in the session. “Their salaries should be stopped. If it is difficult to bring the ministers, then bring the person, who actually made the budget,” he added.

“Our party members are speaking on the budget, but no one from the government benches wants to speak. Not a single person related to finance is present at the moment. This proves that they [treasury benches] have nothing to say to defend this budget,” Ayub said.

PML-N Chief Whip Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the house that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the assembly on Friday and had directed the ministers to attend the session.

Taking part in the debate, Dr Farooq Sattar of the MQM-P said that the budget was the continuation of a status quo, which had been seen in the country for the past 75 years. “Looking at this budget, I will say that this is a traditional budget… born from the womb of status quo,” he said.

“The four budgets of the PTI era [the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government] were also similar. Now, the situation is that if a people-friendly budget is not made, there will be serious threats to national security,” he warned.

Shahid Khattak of the SIC advised the PPP to shun its dual policy. He said that if the PPP felt the pain of the masses, it should sit on the opposition benches. He added that the government had no answer to the points raised by the opposition leader in his speech on the budget.

Senate

Senators on Friday called for the expansion of the tax base instead of imposing additional taxes on current taxpayers.

The lawmakers proposed various incentives to boost the agriculture, mining, and minerals sectors and advocated for reducing tax rates in the real estate and construction industries.

During a Senate session chaired by Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir, the lawmakers debated the federal budget for the next fiscal year, presenting their suggestions and recommendations. Many members opposed increasing tax rates based on the filer and non-filer distinction.

The senators emphasised the need for the FBR to take concrete steps to broaden the tax base. They also voiced opposition to the proposed taxes on the education, health, and real estate sectors.

Highlighting Pakistan’s agricultural potential, the lawmakers further suggested that providing farmers with affordable electricity, quality seeds, cheap loans, and fertilisers could significantly strengthen the national economy.