ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari refused to discuss the budget in the National Assembly.
Federal Minister of Commerce and People’s Party Parliamentary Group Leader in the National Assembly Syed Naveed Qamar told JEE News at the Parliament House on Monday that Bilawal will not discuss the budget in the National Assembly.
Significantly, Bilawal did not even participate in the two rounds of high-level talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) on budget proposals and particularly the IMF allocation for Sindh. It is said to be one of the thorny issues between the two. Allied partners.
The first round was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and was aimed at resolving the issue of budget allocation and other financial issues for the flood victims of Sindh and concluded on Monday evening.
The development is being seen as a ‘setback’ in the wake of newly emerging differences between the PPP and the ruling Muslim League-N.
PPP MNAs have been criticizing certain aspects of the national budget in their speeches in the National Assembly but have not yet planned to cut the budget allocation.
If any of their members make such proposals, it will be tantamount to playing the role of opposition.
The general debate on the budget was supposed to wrap up last Saturday (June 17), but it was extended by two days in anticipation of Bilawal’s speech.
The passage of the Finance Bill and the Supplementary Budget has also been postponed by one day and now the budget will be passed on Saturday, June 24, instead of a day earlier.
An amendment to the Pakistan Elections Act, which was approved by the Senate last week to reduce the disqualification from contesting for any crime to five years, will be tabled in the National Assembly this week, sources revealed.
The approved amendment bill is likely to be tabled on Saturday when President Alvi has gone to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.
Sources reminded that in all likelihood, the Acting President will approve it into law.
Dar promises $11bn for Sindh flood victims
Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar said earlier in the day that the issue of rehabilitation of flood affected people in Sindh as well as other parts of the country will be resolved amicably, and about 11 billion dollars will be spent in Sindh province for this purpose. will be done.
Noting that there are no differences between the Muslim League (N) and the People’s Party, Dar also emphasized efforts to finalize the ‘Charter of Economy’ after the federal budget session of the House ends. .
“I think after the approval of the budget, an all-out effort should be made to come up with a ‘Charter of Economy’ to get out of the mess the nation has been stuck in lately,” the finance minister said. .
He said that now the declining graph of the national economy has stopped and it has achieved stability. Collective efforts were required to take it on the path of development, which would be achieved by the grace of Allah Almighty.
He said that the current financial crisis was more significant than in 1999 when nuclear tests were carried out, and the country was facing international sanctions, adding that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) government had Quickly overcome.
The minister said the Charter of Democracy (CoD) was initially signed with a ‘code of conduct’ that whoever comes to power should not backstab.
It followed civil-military relations and constitutional amendments, resulting in the 18th Amendment, the NFC Award, legal reforms, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which were also part of a process that lasted four years.
Dar said that he has consistently advocated and offered to formulate a ‘Charter of Economy’ so that whoever comes to power would implement it in the best national interest.
