Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Though the National Assembly session was in progress for debating the annual budget 2021-22 but practically both opposition as well as ruling members and ministers were attacking each-others.
Pakistan People’s Party parliamentarians only made hue and cry for not giving proper share to Sindh province from federal government while ruling party members and ministers called them corrupt with the claim that Sindh totally failed to deliver it people.
At the same time the PML-N and PTI members were not behind in the blame games and on several occasion the confrontation escalated and the example of throwing budget documents against each other during Shehbaz Sharif speech in first three days of budget debate.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the budget carries no relief for the poor people. He said given the current price hike, ten percent ad hoc relief announced in the budget for public sector employees was not sufficient.
Ghulam Mustafa Shah said the budget envisages no measures to reduce poverty. He also demanded withdrawal of tax on the GP fund.
He flayed the government over not issuing production orders for Khurshid Shah, Khawaja Asif, Ali Wazir and others.
Khawaja Saad Rafique said losses of Pakistan Railways have increased under the present government.
Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said the country’s exports are witnessing growth as a result of incentives given by the government to the export oriented industries.
Participating in the budget debate in the NA on Wednesday, he said our remittances are also touching twenty eight billion dollars.
He said as the country is heading towards economic growth, its benefit will ultimately reach all the people.
Mehar Ghulam Muhammad Lali emphasized the need for research in the agriculture sector in order to bolster its productivity.
He said subsidy should be given to the farmers to install solar tube wells. He said tax exemption should be given for import of agri related machinery.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Dr Babar Awan rejected the opposition’s demand of holding All Parties Conference on the electoral reforms, saying the Parliament was the only forum that could decide about any legislation. “No APC can do legislation,” he maintained.
The adviser regretted that the opposition was opposing the Electronic Voting Machines and the government’s efforts of giving the right of vote to overseas Pakistanis, who were playing a vital role in strengthening the national economy by sending remittances.
