Punjab govt flayed for approving Rs200bn grant without debate

LAHORE:Opposition Leader Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar while addressing a press conference at the Punjab Assembly premises, lambasted the govt for approving a supplementary grant of Rs200 billion without proper debate. He questioned the purpose of holding assembly sessions when all major decisions were being taken by the cabinet.

Bhachar revealed that Rs62 billion had been allocated for non-development projects, accusing the govt of halting all development schemes except those proposed by Maryam Nawaz. 'Only 35% of development funds have been used, yet another supplementary grant has been approved,' he said, calling it a failure of governance. He condemned police raids on Feb 8 at the houses of PTI members. 'Our workers were arrested, licenced weapons were confiscated and families were intimidated. Such actions will backfire on the govt,' Bhachar warned. During the assembly session, opposition members protested budget allocations and demanded the resignation of the Election Commission and the release of PTI leadership. The session began two hours late with low attendance and no ministers were initially present.

Opposition member Shahid Raza criticised the police raids, claiming that families had been harassed and detained during peaceful protests. Bhachar expressed frustration at the lack of progress, leading a walkout in protest. Defending govt's actions, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman stated that Feb 8 marked a day of progress. He accused PTI of inciting unrest during the May 9 incidents, emphasising that the govt had shown restraint in handling protests. Deputy Speaker Zaheer Iqbal Channar called for an inquiry into the opposition’s allegations, instructing the IGP to probe the complaints. He urged fair treatment of all members and emphasised the role of the assembly as a forum for democratic debate. Mujtaba initiated the pre-budget debate, acknowledging that time constraints would limit participation. He encouraged members to submit budget proposals aimed at public welfare. Govt member Raja Shaukat highlighted that the ruling party had passed 25 to 30 bills in its first year and initiated numerous development projects. 'If given five years, we will deliver record progress,' he asserted. Opposition member Rai Ahsan criticised the govt’s economic management, alleging that no wheat was procured from farmers and over 100 textile units were shut down in Faisalabad. He raised concerns about pollution from factories and alleged that anti-encroachment operations were targeting the poor. Five bills were presented during the session, including the Punjab Public-Private Partnership Bill 2025 and the Punjab Forensic Science Authority Bill 2025. All bills were referred to committees for reports within two months. The session was adjourned until 11am the following day.