KARACHI: A day after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari rejected the recently unveiled budget, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Sunday stressed that coalition partners should discuss government decisions in the cabinet instead of criticising them in political rallies.

The differences among the ruling coalition over the federal budget came to the fore on Saturday when the foreign minister indicated that his party would not vote for the budget unless their concerns were addressed.

Bilawal passed these remarks during a rally in the Khwazakhela area of Swat. He said the prime minister had promised to keep funds for the rehabilitation of flood-hit people in the budget, but some members of his team “were not fulfilling those promises”.

Flood-affected people: PPP expresses concerns over budget

He further claimed that the budget presented in Parliament had very little input from the PPP, especially on the issues of climate change and rehabilitation of those affected by floods, for which sufficient funds were not allocated.

In an apparent response to the foreign minister today, Iqbal asserted that the prime minister always resolved concerns raised by coalition partners.

“We should all refrain from talking in rallies and instead discuss [issues] in official meetings of the cabinet so that political uncertainty — which was [PTI Chairman] Imran Khan’s forte — is avoided,” he said during a ceremony in Narowal.

“When Imran’s front is closed, we should refrain from opening another front between us … It is our responsibility to act as a team and take Pakistan out of this crisis,” he said.

During his address, Iqbal highlighted the importance the premier gave to his coalition partners.

“Under the PM’s leadership, we strive to take all the decisions after consultation. When there is a coalition [government], there are both advantages and disadvantages.

“Consultation takes time. But the advantage is that the decisions are backed by support. That’s why PM Shehbaz always includes coalition partners in all policy decisions,” the minister said.

He added, “Even during the budget preparation and approval, all the coalition partners were involved.”

Iqbal maintained that the government always aimed to take decisions after consensus. “Therefore, it is the responsibility of everyone to guard these decisions and take equal ownership,” he added.

“When the climate disaster hit last year in Sindh and Balochistan, the government, despite limited resources, disbursed more than Rs80 billion through the Benazir Income Support Programme to the flood victims.

“Even the National Disaster Management Authority spent Rs15-20bn on procuring tents, and items of need were sent to provinces apart from foreign aid,” he said.

Iqbal concluded that the issue of flood victims in Sindh and Balochistan was also raised in Geneva and it was decided to expedite the relief efforts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023