ISLAMABAD (APP): Parliamentarians from both sides of the opposition and treasury benches in the National Assembly on Wednesday continued debate on the federal budget 2021-22, stressing the need for controlling the food inflation and giving more incentives in the agriculture sector.
They suggested giving more incentives in import of agri-machinery and equipment, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides for getting better yields of all crops and coping with food inflation for welfare of the common man. Resuming general discussion on the budget, Mehr Ghulam Muhammad Lali of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) asked to ensure a conducive environment in the House, expressing concern over the disturbance witnessed during first three days of the ongoing budget session in the National Assembly.
He admitted that all economic indicators were showing significant growth in the national economy but its trickle down impact should be ensured so that the common man could get some relief. He underlined the need for provision of quality seeds, sufficient water supply and solar power facilities to the farming community for further strengthening of the agriculture sector, which was considered the backbone of the national economy.
He also suggested giving more tax concessions in import of agriculture related machinery and equipment to transform the agriculture sector on modern lines.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said lawmakers were supposed to discuss the issues confronted by the masses and find their solutions in the House, and it was responsibility of the Speaker to ensure smooth conduct of the parliamentary proceeding.
He expressed concern over hurling of the budget books by parliamentarians on each other [last week at the start of the budget session], terming it inappropriate and against the parliamentary norms. He was of the view that there should be a meaningful debate on the public issues like increased prices of edible items, gas, electricity and petroleum products.
Abbasi said 10 percent adhoc relief in salaries of government employees was insufficient in the prevailing inflation scenario, and criticized the government’s economic and agriculture policies.
He claimed that it was the PML-N government that took required measures to meet the country’s energy needs and ended the electricity load-shedding during its last tenure.
Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said it was the opposition that had created nuisance and showed hooliganism during the first speech of PM Imran Khan after becoming leader of the House.
Now during the current budget session, he said, again it was the opposition that started a confrontation and even injured two members of the treasury benches and blamed the government for it.
He reminded that it was the PML-N that had launched an attack on the supreme court, adding PML-N’s history was full of such confrontation with the state institutions. The minister said the entire aviation sector in the world faced a financial crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic and they were compelled to lay-off some of their employees and curtail salaries.
But in Pakistan, he said, the scenario remained different as no employee was ousted and no curtailment in allowances of aviation sector employees was done despite financial constraints caused by the virus.
He said the prudent policies, initiated under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, had started yielding the required results as all economic indicators were moving in the right direction. Although, he said, the agriculture sector was showing good performance but there was a need for more incentives for further uplift and welfare of the farming community.
He expressed confidence that the Rawalpindi Ring road project would start and complete during the tenure of the PTI government.
Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) expressed concern over the food inflation and asked the government to take necessary measures to provide relief to the common man.
He asked the government to increase the salaries of government employees as 10 percent adhoc relief was not sufficient.
PTI Chief Whip Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar said all segments of the society had appreciated the pro-poor and growth-oriented budget presented by the government. These were the budgetary proposals prepared by the economic team of the Prime Minister without any influence and pressure by external financial institutions, he said.
He said Pakistan’s economy would become ‘Asian Tiger’ under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, highlighting the steps taken by the government for economic growth and welfare of the common man.
He suggested increasing the salaries of government employees by 20 percent, keeping in view the existing inflation.
He expressed confidence the country would progress and prosper under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khawaja Saad Rafique of PML-N said the government had allocated Rs 12 billion for the agriculture sector terming it ‘inadequate’ and asked for mitigating sufferings of the poor by bringing down the prices of edibles.
He said the opposition would not allow mortgaging of any national asset including airport and motorways, saying any such move would be resisted with full force.
He said the PML-N would oppose the ousting of the incumbent government through protests or sit-ins as it would set a wrong precedent for the future governments.
Talking part in the budget debate, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Syed Javed Ali Shah demanded of the government to make more allocations for agriculture sector which was backbone of the national economy.
He urged Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser to issue production orders of arrested Members of the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah and Khawaja Muhammad Asif so that they could highlight problems being faced by their voters and represent their constituencies in the House.
Javed Shah said the government should take effective measures to end load-shedding in Sindh province and provide gas in different localities including his constituency.
He regretted over the delay in execution of Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway which was an important section of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and asked to ensure quality in its construction.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker, Nawaz Sher Waseer congratulated the government and its allies for presenting pro-poor and farmers’ budget.
He thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for increasing the rates of sugarcane, wheat and other food items to facilitate the farmers, adding that the government should give subsidy on solar system to install tube-well.
Nawab Waseer demanded of the government to increase salaries of the government employees by at least 20 percent because there was price hike in the country due to the wrong polices of the previous governments.
The legislator said clean drinking water was the basic right of every citizen of the country and urged the government to allocate more funds for the provision of the facility.
PML-N MNA, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar urged the government to provide basic necessities of daily use items at the cheaper rates to overcome the problems of poor people.
She said that the government of PTI should fulfill its promises like job opportunities and low-cost housing units which had been made during the general election-2018 campaign.
Nosheen Iftikhar said the PML-N had established 19 universities and 200 colleges to promote education in the country.
PML-N MNA Dr Nisar Cheema urged the government to announce honorarium for the employees who were performing budget duties in the Parliament till late night.
He alleged that the government had not given any relief to the farmers, poor people and other segments of society in the budget 2021-22. Nisar Cheema said that the government should improve the health facilities in the country.
Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) legislator Khalid Hussain Magsi demanded formation of a committee to address all the issues confronted by poor people of Balochistan.
