In the Punjab Assembly, the one-month budget for the province was sanctioned amidst opposition approval, with members from both sides raising slogans during the session.
The session, chaired by Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan, commenced with the presentation of the provincial budget bill by Maryam Aurangzeb. The budget, totaling over Rs. 358 billion for the month of March, encompasses both developmental and non-developmental expenses, with a significant portion allocated for government employees’ salaries and pensions, along with necessary payments for ongoing development projects.
Upon Maryam Aurangzeb’s motion for approval of the one-month expenses, Opposition Leader Rana Aftab voiced objections, leading to a chaotic exchange of slogans between government and opposition members. Tensions escalated as government member Khawaja Imran Nazir and opposition member Nadeem Qureshi engaged in a confrontation.
Qureshi insisted on a detailed discussion of the supplementary budget and criticized the lack of transparency regarding budget allocations to specific departments. He also contested the authority of the member presenting the budget, arguing that only the Finance Minister or Chief Minister should do so. Additionally, he raised concerns about the haste in calling the meeting, which prevented some members from attending.
Maryam Aurangzeb defended the budget, emphasizing the necessity of allocating funds for essential expenses such as government salaries, healthcare, and judiciary expenditures. She pledged to provide comprehensive details of the budget in the House.
Despite opposition objections and disruptions, the one-month budget estimate was ultimately approved, leading to the adjournment of the session by the Speaker.
It’s worth noting that the provincial government is also in the process of preparing a three-month budget, scheduled to be presented by the Punjab Finance Minister from April to June, according to sources from the finance department.
