News
Thursday, June 09, 2011
PML-N questions defence budget, wants it slashed* Amir slams Defence Ministry for not giving details of defence spending ]
* Expresses scepticism over role of secret agencies
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-N, the largest opposition party in National Assembly, on Wednesday, raised questions over the supremacy of parliament regarding defence budget, which is given in the budget in one line with no details of expenditure.
“A curtain of silence covers the defence budget as no one is bothered to give the details of the defence expenditures to parliament”, PML-N’s outspoken MNA Ayaz Amir remarked while taking part in the budget debate in the House. Amir was also supported by one of his colleague, Rana Tanveer Hussain who, in his speech, proposed a cut in the defence budget instead of slashing subsidies.
However, the vocal Amir minced no word while criticising hidden expenditures in the defence budget. “Where is the independence of the budget if we can’t see the defence budget in detail and are compelled to pass the one-line budget for the armed forces,” Amir questioned.
He castigated the Defence Ministry for not bothering to give details of expenditures on defence, and even lambasted the Defence Committee of parliament, which gives the approval to the defence budget. Amir was also critical of the defence posture of the country. “We have bitter feelings about the US interference in the country but are silent about our involvement in the domestic issues of the neighbouring Afghanistan,” he observed. Amir noted that Pakistan was ready to resolve the issues the world but is unable to handle its domestic issues. A soft-spoken Amir was also sceptical about the role of secret agencies and felt that these institutions have not abandoned the past practices, while referring to murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad.
“This incident sent shock waves in media and civil society,” he said, calling for abandoning policies aimed at terrorising the media and said that time has come to bring change in them. The PML-N stalwart demanded a change in the security paradigm. Amir said that retrogressive social legislation introduced by former military dictator General Ziaul Haq needed to be changed, adding that parliament had missed the opportunity to amend it when 18th Constitutional Amendment was being adopted.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur Rahman was the other prominent speaker of the day to participate in the budget debate. He also termed the budget unsatisfactory, saying it didn’t come up to the expectations of the masses. He, however, focused mostly on the religious extremism in the country and categorically stated that allegations that religious segments of society were spreading extremism were totally baseless.
He declared that religious parties were against the introduction of Islamic laws on gunpoint, however, vowed that they would strive to implement the Sharia law through parliamentary struggle. Fazal also expressed some concern over the policies of the armed forces, however, said that the institution was vital and pointed out that efforts were being made to create differences between people and military. Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Quershi, who has developed differences with his party leadership, delivered a hard-hitting speech by targeting the government over the budget, which also attracted applause from the opposition benches. He said that there was no vision and leadership to steer the country out of the crisis.
MQM’s Abdul Qadir Khanzada said the landlords pocketed some Rs 400 billion when the cotton prices had surged from Rs 4000 to Rs 14,000. “It is the time that landlords should play a role in the progress and prosperity of the country,” he added.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk