The National Assembly Wednesday approved as many as 34 demands for grants, valuing Rs 765.77 billion, for the next financial year relating to various ministries and their divisions. The opposition parties, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) staged a walkout from the National Assembly by terming the Budget-2018-19 for whole financial year as unconstitutional. They also withdrew all cut motions on various ministries and announced that they would not become part of the budget.
The government presented the demands for grants of Cabinet Division, Establishment Division, Aviation Division, Capital Administration and Development Division, Finance and Revenue Division, Economic Affairs Division and related departments. The House rejected all the cut motions moved by opposition members of MQM and JI against these demands. Some cut motions of demands were withdrawn by the opposition members.
During the discussion on demands for grants, Saleem Rehman of PTI pointed out quorum but after counting heads, the quorum was found complete. Again after an hour, Dr Arif Alvi of PTI pointed out quorum and the finance minister could not present all the demands of grants due to lack of quorum. The House approved Rs 263 million demands of grants for Cabinet, Rs 6.3 billion for Cabinet Division, and Rs 276 million for emergency relief and repatriation for which the opposition had withdrawn all the cut motions.
The House also approved Rs 6.2 billion for other expenditure of Cabinet Division, Rs 97 million for Aviation Division, Rs 21.3 billion for Capital Administration and Development Division, Rs 2.7 billion for Establishment Division, Rs 636 million for Federal Public Service Commission, Rs 2.138 billion for other expenditure of Establishment Division, Rs 986 million for Prime Minister's Office, Rs 272 million for Board of Investment, Rs 70 million of Prime Minister's Inspection Commission, Rs 9.4 billion for Atomic Energy, Rs 14.7 billion for Development Expenditure of Cabinet Division and Rs 614 million for Climate Change.
The National Assembly approved Rs 432 million for Textile Division, Rs 7.66 billion for Communications Division, Rs 14.4 billion for development expenditure of Communications Division and Rs 1.687 billion for Defense Division.
The House also approved Rs 245 million for Power Division, Rs 377 million for Petroleum Division, Rs 98 million for other expenditures of Petroleum Division, Rs 1.8 billion for Finance Division, Rs 5.88 billion for Controller General of Accountant, Rs 563.2 billion for subsidies and miscellaneous expenditures, Rs 65 billion for Higher Education Commission, and Rs 5,296,000,000 for Economic Affairs Division, etc.
Meanwhile, Minister for Power Awais Leghari said that electricity is being restored to the system after certain power plants tripped off in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Speaking in the House over the blackout that crippled certain parts of the country, the minister said the situation has been normalized in the federal capital. However, it will take two to three hours to fully restore the power system. He said an inquiry will also be conducted in this regard.
He said the secretary Power Division is sitting in the National Power Control Centre in Islamabad to monitor the situation closely.
Taking the floor, Mir Zafarullah Jamali announced his resignation from the National Assembly. He said that he will send his resignation in writing to the Speaker Office.