ISLAMABAD: The lawmakers from the treasury benches on Tuesday termed the budget “tax-free”, “pro-people” and “business friendly”, during the debate in the ongoing budget session in the National Assembly (NA), while the opposition voiced concerns over ignoring health, education and agriculture sectors in the annual financial plan.
Participating in the budget debate, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Usama Qadri said that enough funds were not allocated for the development of Karachi city.
He said that Karachi is the country’s business hub, but no funds were allocated for the uplift of the people of Karachi for the next fiscal year.
He said that that no allocation was made for the green bus service project and asked the government to increase pension and salaries of the government employees by at least 20 per cent.
The MQM-P leader criticised Sindh government for ignoring Karachi, saying that the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was involved in corruption.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Member National Assembly (MNA) Junaid Akbar asked the government to take immediate steps for return of stranded Pakistanis abroad giving them air tickets who were facing hardships due to lack of financial resources.
He also urged the government to expand Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme to his area. He said that it was unprecedented that the government gave a stimulus package of Rs1.2 trillion to support different segments of the society during these difficult times.
He also requested the government to arrange rehabilitation programmes for overseas Pakistanis and create job opportunities for them, and also urged to include them in Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Chaudhry Armaghan Subhani said that interest-free loans should be given to the farmers to strengthen agriculture sector. He said that work on the development schemes initiated by previous government should be completed on priority.
PPP MNA Shagufta Jumani said that no funds were allocated in the budget for the construction of five million houses announced by the PTI leadership during election campaign. The government had failed to fulfil its promise and creating 10 million jobs for people, she added.
“You have taken away jobs and made thousands of people jobless,” she further said.
The PPP leader was of the view that attitude of the federal government with the Sindh government was not admirable. She also criticised government strategy to control coronavirus and locust attack on crops.
PTI MNA Salim Rehman appreciated the government for presenting tax-free budget.
“I appreciate Imran Khan and his economic team for presenting tax free and people friendly budget in this difficult time,” he commented.
He also lauded NA Speaker Asad Qaiser for focusing on steps to initiate work on construction of Swat expressway.
He alleged that the previous governments had ignored uplift of Swat and for tourism in the area.
He said that Covid-19 had badly affected tourism and asked the government to compensate the people linked with tourism industry.
Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader Dr Shahnaz Naseer Baloch said that Covid-19 had badly affected the province of Balochistan and asked the government to allocate more funds for the development of province. She also asked the federal government to assist Balochistan government in preventing coronavirus circumstances. She stressed for enhancing testing capacity of coronavirus, adding, short and long-term strategies needed to cope with the pandemic.
Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said that keeping in view the present situation in the country due to Covid-19, the government had announced best budget. He also appreciated PM Imran for constituting commission on sugar crisis and said PTI government must be appreciated for this step.
PPP leader Shazia Marri said it was unfortunate that Syed Khursheed Shah was not allowed to attend the important budget session. “We will continue to raise voice for him,” she added.
She also paid tribute to the doctors, nurses and paramedical staff for performing duties at hospitals and for rendering services on front line putting their own lives in danger.
The PPP leader suggested to the government to increase the salary of the government employees.
PTI legislator Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan Mazari asked the government to allocate more funds for the development of remote areas and asked the government to take steps for the creation of job opportunities for youth.
He urged the government to end load-shedding in his area.
He also called on the government to announce special funds for the education sector.
The PTI leader asked the federal government to announce scholarships for the students of his area.
