PML-N, PTI lawmakers lock horns over budget, coronavirus crisis in NA session

(Karachi) Leaders of the government and opposition benches locked horns during the National Assembly session on Monday and blamed each other for pushing the country into a crisis.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khawaja Asif criticised the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf government for not presenting a balance budget and providing relief to the people, especially the government employees.

He said the government should have increased the salaries of poor workers. He also hurled criticism on various schemes and programmes initiated by the government, including the Billion Tree Tsunami project. "Where is the Billion Tree Tusnami project,? he asked.

He accused the PTI lawmakers of being involved in corrupt practices, saying: "the PML-N will go after you till the last end."

He highlighted that the coronavirus spread in the country due to the PTI. He bashed the government for spending Rs900 million on a quarantine centre in Lahore's Expo Centre, only to close it.

Asif mentioned, "There is an epidemic and the government is making money." He said the government failed to address the pandemic with concrete measures. "You've left doctors, nurses alone by telling them to go fight the 'jihad' alone."

He also challenged Umar to swear that we didn't have the opportunity to stop the spread in the last three months.

Responding to the PML-N leader's allegations, Planning Minister Asad Umar said the opposition should play its role and suggest an alternative strategy for addressing issues faced by the country, especially the coronavirus outbreak. "If they are unhappy with the government's response, they should give their feedback."

Citing India's example, Umar said, "Modi imposed a strict lockdown without prior warning in March that affected the economy and millions of people slept hungry and migrant workers were forced to walk back home. And India still couldn't stop the spread."

He said lockdown is not the solution because if it were, India would be virus-free today and the US wouldn't have lifted restrictions.

Regarding budget 2020-21, he said that the government prepared a balanced budget keeping in view the coronavirus situation. He added that no new taxes were imposed in the budget while the government focused on providing relief to a common man.