Speaker halts budget session over absences

Proceedings of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly's budget session were temporarily suspended on Sunday after Speaker Babar Saleem Swati expressed strong displeasure over the absence of senior government officials and departmental secretaries.

The Speaker halted the session for nearly 40 minutes and ordered all absent officials to appear before the House, marking the first time in the province's parliamentary history that budget proceedings were interrupted due to a lack of departmental representation.

As the session commenced, the Speaker sought attendance details of departmental officials and informed lawmakers that representatives from only six departments, Finance, Health, Home, Information, and Planning and Development, were present.

"Departments seek budget allocations for the entire year but fail to attend the session where those budgets are discussed," the Speaker remarked. He also noted the absence of the Chief Secretary, Inspector General of Police, and several departmental secretaries. Criticising the police department, the Speaker questioned why the police chief continued to complain of inadequate resources despite receiving substantial budgetary allocations.