Opposition slams government's budget spending

Lawmakers criticise lack of development efforts, call for transparency

LAHORE:

The Punjab Assembly witnessed intense debate on Friday as opposition lawmakers criticized the provincial government over its alleged mismanagement and failure to address the needs of the public.

Accusations ranged from abductions and mistreatment of opposition lawmakers to inefficient spending of the development budget, with opposition leaders claiming the government had done little to improve conditions for the masses.

Amidst the heated exchanges, both treasury and opposition benches found a rare moment of consensus, unanimously passing a resolution honouring the sacrifices of Pakistan's armed forces.

The session began with Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar labelling the budget exercise as "futile," arguing that it had done nothing to help the most disadvantaged. Bhachar questioned the allocation of Rs842 billion in the development budget, out of which only Rs124 billion—or 14%—had been utilized so far.

"How does the government plan to spend the remaining 86% in the next six months?" he demanded, urging the government to account for the allocated funds.

Bhachar further questioned the budget for Communication and Works (C&W), where Rs172 billion had been allocated, Rs142 billion disbursed, but only Rs44 billion reportedly spent.

He expressed concerns over the discrepancy, pressing the government to disclose where the unspent funds had gone.

"The government's focus seems more on cornering PTI and arresting its leaders than on steering the country out of the crisis," he said.

The opposition also raised the issue of minority welfare, arguing that no funds had been allocated to support minority communities.

Bhachar remarked, "Are the minorities of this country so well-off that the government doesn't need to invest in their welfare?" He went on to criticize the government for prioritising social media narratives over addressing ground realities.

Despite these criticisms, the House came together to pass a resolution honouring the sacrifices of the Pakistani armed forces.

Moved by PML-N Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, the resolution celebrated the bravery of the armed forces and asserted that history remembers the courageous, not the cowardly.

During the session, the performance of Communication and Works Minister Sohaib Ahmed Malik also came under scrutiny from treasury lawmakers, who expressed dissatisfaction with his department's progress on road infrastructure.

Malik defended his department's work, pledging to enhance transparency by digitizing operations and using Google Maps to track road projects.

"We are not sitting idle. We are actively working, and I will accept full accountability if any contract is found lacking in merit," Malik stated.