News
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Budget debate in National Assembly turns into political speeches
* Treasury says opposition should follow government’s reconciliatory policy
* Opp points out development budget has nothing for Balochistan
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly, on Saturday, witnessed more political speeches than debate over the federal budget and was informed that opposition members are taking more development funds than treasury members.
The House was informed that opposition members were not ready to accept the present democratic set up despite the fact that they were taking more benefits than those sitting on treasury benches.
Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Ramesh Lal claimed that some women MNAs in the opposition had got Rs 200 million from the government under development funds while in the past opposition members were deprived of such funds.
If opposition members did not accept the incumbent government, they should stop visiting offices of the prime minister and ministers, he categorically said.
Lal informed the House that they (opposition members) made a hue and cry over fragile law and order, corruption and mismanagement. But in Punjab, he added, the situation was worse than other three provinces.
“In Lahore, even a person is unable to move safely. But the opposition has been criticising the federal government just for the sake of criticism,” he added.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai told the House that in Punjab, the opposition was denied developmental funds, complaining that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had never facilitated opposition members for uplift activities in their respective constituencies.
He claimed that the Punjab Food Department and PASSCO did not even provide bardana (empty bag) to other party workers during the wheat procurement process, and termed it an injustice to the opposition on part of the Punjab government.
PPP MNA, Mohesh Kumar, said that developmental funds were being given to opposition members but they should also give a positive response to the government’s reconciliatory policy.
Kumar said the Punjab government was spending all funds on development of Lahore, and questioned why were developmental funds not spent in Multan and other areas in the Seraiki belt.
PPP’s Mir Gul Muhammad Khan Jakhrani complained that the PML-N’s behaviour during the budget session was not parliamentary, saying it appeared as if some one had asked them to do so. During the budget speech, he noted, the opposition leader had spoken only against the prime minister and president. He added that it was the wisdom of the president that he never responded to the opposition for their non-relevant questions. PML-N’s Abdul Qadir Baloch rejected that any opposition member took Rs 200 million development fund from the government. He said that development funds generated from the whole country should reach all elected members not PPP lawmakers only. “It is the right of every MNA to get development funds from the government. We gave a vote of confidence to the prime minister. Don’t make him controversial,” Baloch told the House.
He said the government increased indirect taxes in the budget that would directly affect poor segments of society. He regretted that inputs were not taken from parliamentarians in the budget making process. He termed the budget as “bureaucratic”. He also pointed out that the federal government’s development budget had a huge allocation for Larkana and Multan, but nothing for development of Balochistan.
He suggested the government to take appropriate measures for removing the deprivation of Balochistan people.
“The government should fulfill its responsibility and stop kidnapping, torturing and killing of Baloch people,” he said, claiming that international forces had hand in unrest in Balochistan. He warned that if appropriate measures were not taken, it would have severe consequences in the country’s politics.
He also demanded the government to make a fact finding committee to find out whether there was a need of a military operation in 2006, when a Baloch leader was killed. Since that operation unrest spread its tentacles in Balochistan, he added.
Taking part in the budget debate, PPP stalwart Tasneem Qureshi said there were always two opinions on the budget – the treasury benches always claimed it was a balanced budget while the opposition always criticised the government. He said the government had already passed through planning and implementation period and now the people would see its results.
PML-N MNA Chaudhry Naseer Bhutta criticised the budget and said that no relief was given to common man.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk