Senators slam budget over provincial funding concerns

ISLAMABAD: Senators on Tuesday questioned the government’s budget proposal, citing concerns that it may violate the Constitution and laws by denying provinces of their rightful share of resources, since it was presented without a new National Finance Commission award. “Those sitting on the other side (treasury) have been facing criticism for the last 50 years for they make budgets on the dictation of global lenders, leaving nothing for the masses, as the economic independence has been lost,” said Awami National party chief Aimal Wali Khan while taking part in the budget debate.

He asked the Chairman Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, who was the prime minister at that time, as to how many years ago, the 18th Amendment was passed but a new NFC Award was not thrashed out. He also questioned why Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were not being paid gas and net hydel power royalties despite the Centre’s pledge to do so. Likewise, he emphasized Sindh and Punjab should also get their share of resources. He insisted that if Pakistan was to be strengthened, then the federating units must get their rights besides Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan should also be given their constitutional and legal rights.

PMLN’s Saadia Abbasi believed the proposed budget was a non-starter for being anti-poor and anti-business and that it was meant to fulfill the IMF conditionalities and give the global lender full control of Pakistan’s economy and sovereignty. She claimed that the budget has ignored the critical areas of health, education and socio-economic well-being of the people. Empowering FBR with the powers to arrest, she feared, will not only lead to greater corruption but also create conditions that will force people not to engage in business. Rejecting the budget, she requested the prime minister to review the budgetary policies, take into account sentiments of the people and address needs of the people.

PTI Senator Mohsin Aziz said two political parties have ruled the country for over four decades but still have the audacity to hold his party responsible for all that has gone wrong. He wondered who signed the devastating agreements with IPPs, initiated IMF programme, shut down the Pakistan Steel Mills which was in profit since 2008 and ruined PIA.

PTI Senator Aon Abbas Bappi, at the very outset of his speech, urged Chairman Gilani to again issue production orders for his party’s jailed lawmaker Ejaz Chaudhry.

JUI-Fazl Senator Kamran Murtaza pointed out incidents of terrorism in KP and Balochistan and contended that “you may claim everything is fine, but the threat is lurking.” Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi of PPP described the budget as not people-friendly and invited the finance minister to spend a day with labourers. He called for doubling the EOBI pension and devolving its funds to the provinces in line with the Constitution. He also called for enhancing allocations for Karachi.

Senator Bilal Ahmed termed the Rs15 billion allocated for the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway as a joke. The House will now meet again Wednesday morning.