KARACHI: In a turbulent session, the Punjab Assembly witnessed a dramatic rejection of the proposed budget for the next financial year by the opposition. The session, marked by chaos and confrontations, underscored the deep divisions within the house.

As Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman began his budget speech, the opposition responded with loud slogans and protests, quickly escalating to the point of surrounding the speaker’s podium.

The uproar continued unabated, with opposition members moving towards the Chief Minister’s seat, prompting ministers and government members to form a protective barrier.

The situation intensified as Minister Sohaib Bharat and MPA Ghazali Saleem Butt intervened to prevent the opposition from reaching the government benches. At one point, two ministers and opposition members engaged in physical confrontations, further highlighting the fraught atmosphere.

In the presence of Maryam Nawaz, the budget documents were dramatically torn up, symbolising the opposition’s vehement disapproval.

The opposition accused the government of presenting a fraudulent budget, criticising both the federal and provincial governments for failing to provide relief and instead burdening the salaried class with additional taxes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024