Treasury Criticises Speaker Parvez Elahi During Budget Discussion

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jun, 2022 ) :The treasury benches on Tuesday criticised Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Parvez Elahi for creating a deadlock and not allowing the budget session in the assembly chambers.

During the budget session summoned by Governor Punjab Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, the treasury members took part in the budget debate freely while some were of the view that they had never got an opportunity to express themselves freely due to the partisan behaviour of the chair.

Panel of Chairman Khalil Tahir Sandhu, who is chairing the budget debate, observed that it is not the way that IGP and Chief Secretary are summoned in the House to seek apology, adding that he was part of the committee negotiating with the opposition to hold budget session at the Punjab Assembly chambers. "I quit the meeting when the opposition was adamant to make IGP and CS appear in the house", he said, while explaining the circumstances which forced the government to hold the session at Aiwan-e-Iqbal.

The legislators demanded development schemes for their respective Constituencies and urged the government to build new schools, colleges and universities in their areas.

MPA Mian Jalil Ahmad Sharaqpuri, who remained dissident for over a year after developing some differences with the ruling PML-N, also spoke in the House. "I got some differences with the PML-N but I assured the leadership that I'll give my vote to the party. Now, the differences have been sorted out and I am grateful to the Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shehbaz for listening to me," Jalil Sharaqpuri said.

He proposed that all MPAs and grade 19 and above officers should surrender their salaries for one year and this amount must be spent on the poor people.

Treasury MPA Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, taking part in budget discussion, said the PML-N, during its previous term, had passed Sikh Marriage Act but it has not been implemented yet. "Pakistan is the first country where the law is passed to regulate the marriages of Sikh couples but the PTI government didn't implement it. Now, we are in the government and we should implement it in letter and spirit," Arora said.

The treasury MPAs hailed the government for presenting a 'balanced' budget while there was no opposition in the House and therefore they delivered lengthy speeches uninterrupted.

Later, the chair adjourned the House to meet again on Wednesday at 2 PM.

In the parallel session chaired by Speaker Parvez Elahi at the Punjab Assembly chambers, the opposition passed a bill unanimously in the absence of treasury MPAs. The said bill was moved as a Private Member Bill by MPA Mian Shafi. 'The Punjab Free and Compulsory education bill' was passed in the House.

Earlier, Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi chaired the parliamentary party meeting of PTI and PML-Q in Punjab Assembly. The meeting once again declared the session going on at Aiwan-e-Iqbal as illegal and unconstitutional. The session of the opposition was later adjourned till 28th June (Tuesday).