ISLAMABAD: The opposition members in the National Assembly on Monday belied present government’s claims of turning around the national economy and also criticised cut imposed on development projects.
Taking part in debate on supplementary budget, the former information minister and PML-N parliamentarian Marriyum Aurengzeb pointed out that PTI government had done away with 455 development projects which were to be executed under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
She regretted that the government had also shelved 45 projects of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) while a reduction of 27 percent had also been imposed on the federal education budget.
Marriyum continued criticising government for not giving any plan to address child and mother healthcare and malnutrition which spoke volume about their tall claims of giving priority to education and health sectors.
The members from the government benches continued uproar as the PML-N said the PTI government was taking so-called austerity measures whereas there was nothing on ground. “Will somebody locate small houses where the prime minister, governors and chief ministers are staying?” she asked.
The PML-N leader said the measures being taken by the PTI government were not more than a puppet show of ‘Uncle Sirgam. “They should at least improve quality of their puppet shows,” she, while referring to auction of government vehicles, property and buffaloes, said.
She also spoke high of the PML-N led by deposed prime minister nawaz Sharif adding they doubled volume of Benazir Income Support Programme and gave strength to Diamer-Bhasha Dam by acquiring land for the project and keeping billions of rupees in the PSDP. “The incumbent prime minister is eager to place his plaque at the project site whereas there has been no addition to allocations made by the PML-N government in the PSDP,” she said.
Addressing the Speaker, she said appointment of chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was privilege of the chair and not of the cabinet members.
The opposition members raised slogans of ‘Commission, Commission’ as Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak contradicted allegations of the opposition that no dams were constructed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
He said instead 25 small dams and 225 hydel power projects have been completed in KP province saying that due to its performance, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had gained seats and votes double than the 2013 elections.
Minister for Water Resources Khusro Bakhtiar said the government has decided to broaden the base of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and accelerate its pace.
Terming it a game changer for Pakistan and region, the minister said that the government will open third party investment in this project to make it more effective saying a group has also been set up for socio-economic development. Similarly, special economic zones will be reinvigorated in order to make them functional.
The minister said previous government did not pay due attention to Gwadar, but PTI government will give proper attention to this important port. He said an oil city would be established in this strategic port of Pakistan.
Criticising the policies of previous government, Khusro Bakhtiar said the budget deficit would have run amok had the incumbent government not placed a check on it.
He said current account deficit has reached to an alarming figure of 18 billion dollars, due to ill-conceived policies of the previous government.
The minister said the circular debt has reached a staggering 583 billion rupees.
Abdul Qadar Patel of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ridiculed tall claims being made by the PTI government while particularly referring to provision of 10 million jobs in five years saying the government was far behind its targets. “Your required run rate need to be increased,” he said.
Qaisar Ahmad Shaikh of PML-N was of the view that vision of Finance Minister Asad Umar was not behind the supplementary budget rather it was bureaucratic budget. “The vision of the finance minister which was experienced at finance committee during the PML-N government, is not seen in the supplementary budget,“ he said.
Meanwhile, responding to a calling attention notice moved by Syed Aminul Haq of MQM, Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan said a thorough investigation was made regarding the incident of amputation of an eight-year-old boy in Karachi due to falling of high tension wires.
The minister said the investigative report fixed responsibility on K-Electric adding K-Electric has taken responsibility of the treatment and education of the child till the age of 25 years.
He said the company will give Rs5 million to the parents of the child besides a monthly sum of Rs20,000.
Omar Ayub Khan said the issue of loose high tension wires exists in various parts of the country and all electric distribution companies have been directed to identify such points and rectify the situation.
