LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly session convened by Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman at Aiwan-e-Iqbal started with a delay of one hour and 55 minutes under the chairmanship of Panel of Chairman Tahir Khalil Sindhu.
According to tradition, panel chairman Tahir Khalil Sindhu invited opposition leader Sabtin Khan to start the debate on supplementary budget but opposition leader Sabtin Khan was not present in the house.
PML-N MPA Azma Zahid Bukhari while participating in budget speech said that we have no idea where former chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and his government had used this money. But unfortunately, we have to pass this supplementary budget. Usman Buzdar did not bring this money from home. She said Usman Buzdar did not ask former Prime Minister Imran Khan to give share of the province from for NFC award.
The panel of chairman, Khalil Tahir Sindhu, said that you have raised a very good point. This money must be accounted for. Where this money has been used?
MPA Maulana Ilyas Chinioti presented a resolution in which it was demanded that Chiniot-Faisalabad Road should be constructed immediately. The resolution was passed unanimously. It was demanded that project should be taken out from the Punjab Private Partnership mode and included in the budget 2022-23.
MPA Saba Sadiq said in his speech said that there is economic instability in the country. This budget was prepared in a difficult time. Calling Usman Buzdar “Wasim Akram Plus” she said that Buzdar made the lives of the people miserable. She said steps have been taken to provide medicines for cancer and other patients, including subsidies. The supplementary budget should be examined to see where this money has been used. She said that most of our population lives in villages no amount was allocated for women in the budget.
Member Assembly Aswa Aftab said that supplementary grant will be thoroughly investigated. She said most of the budget of the police has been used in DG Khan.
Panel Chairman Tahir Khalil Sindhu said that inquiries should be started against those who looted billions of rupees of the Punjab. He said those who received crores of rupees will be held accountable. He said not a single allegation against PML-N leadership was proved. He said that those who were given Rs 15 crore in the name of development should be held accountable.
Member Assembly Sheikh Allauddin said that the suggestions being given by the government should not be ignored.
MPA Rana Ali Abbas alleged that Farah Gogi was given a land of worth billions of rupees. He said that PTI government had ignored Faisalabad in the last four years. Voting on the demands in the supplementary budget will take place on Friday.
Earlier, deputy Speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Muhammad Mazari issued show cause notice to the staff of Punjab Assembly for not reporting to the deputy speaker in the budget session held at Aiwan-e-Iqbal. They should reply within in seven days.
Acting Secretary Punjab Assembly had issued a notification on the orders of the Deputy Speaker stating that orders had been issued to the Legislative Branch, State Branch, Reporting Branch and Security Branch of the Punjab Assembly to immediately render their services to Aiwan-e-Iqbal Punjab Assembly.
Despite the orders of the Deputy Speaker and Secretary Law, all these departments did not attend the Aiwan-e-Iqbal budget meeting. The notice said that if they fail to respond to this notice within seven days departmental disciplinary action would be taken against all the employees.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022