Opposition lodges strong protest during budget speech

ISLAMABAD: The opposition members registered a strong protest during the budget speech of Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurengzeb in the National Assembly on Tuesday. The opposition members, led by the opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan, continued sloganeering and thumping desks with budget documents during 90 minutes budget speech, mainly demanding the release of PTI founding leader Imran Khan.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif entered the National Assembly amid sloganeering from the opposition benches. The members also gathered in front of the Speaker’s dais while raising full-throated slogans.

Earlier, the opposition leader Omar Ayub Khan chaired the parliamentary party meeting of PTI in the Parliament House to finalize the strategy for the budget session. The meeting maintained that the “fake government” did not have the right to present the federal budget.

NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also chaired a meeting of the business advisory committee prior to the start of the budget session. The meeting decided to hold a debate on the federal budget from June 13 to 21.

Ayaz Sadiq said that members of the parliamentary parties would be given time to speak on the budget according to rules and regulations. The Finance Bill, 2025 would be passed on June 26 while voting and debate on supplementary grants would be held on June 27.