ISLAMABAD: Amid rukus , the government on Thursday presented proposed Amendment in Finance Bill 2021 generally called as mini budget by the opposition and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) amendment bill in the national assembly. The federal cabinet, with prime minister, Imran Khan, in the chair, had approved the bills of mini budget as well as SBP peior to tabling them before the national assembly.
Finance minister, Shaukat Tarin , presented both the bills in the national assembly. None of top elected political leader including Imran Khan, Shahbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto, Asif Zardari turned -up to attend important session of the national assembly. However, both the treasury and opposition benches made heated debates on the bills. The opposition kept on protesting in the lower house during the entire session to resist to what it called as anti public bills.
Both sides kept on shouting and hooting at each other during the session. The opposition called the mini budget as an alarming and a pre planned move made by the government to compromise the national and economic security of the country.
Some members from treasury and opposition benches had physical brawl during the session. Lady parliamentarian too got engaged in physical fight on the floor of the house. Shaghufta Nughmani of Pakistan People Party (PPP) and Saifi Ghazal of Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI) physically assaulted each other.
Speaker national assembly , Asad Qaiser, announced during uproar in the house that the bill for amendment in Finance Bill 2021 will not be referred to the concerned committee. Rather, it will be presented for debate of the members and subsequently for voting. However, he referred the bill relating to autonomy of SBP to the concerned committee for vetting.
The federal minister, Asad Umar responded to the opposition’s allegations. He said those whose leaders were having Saudi work permits while ruling in this country were giving them lectures on national sovereignty. Shaukat Tarin told a press conference after presenting the bills in the house that the government has proposed to withdraw exemptions valuing only Rs 2 billion which will not invite any new storm of price hike in the country.
The house may witness ugly scenes again when its proceedings resume on Monday again.