NA okays Rs4.814tr grants dismissing opposition's 430 cut motions

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly has approved all the 136 demands for grants of different ministries and divisions for the next fiscal year while rejecting cut motions moved by opposition members on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the House approved 31 demands for grants amounting to Rs4.814 trillion, dismissing all 430 cut motions related to the Finance and Revenue Division, Human Rights Division, Interior Division and National Food Security and Research Division.

With the National Assembly set to pass the Finance Bill, 2025 on Thursday, Opposition Leader Omar Ayub rejected the federal budget during the debate on cut motions, calling it “dead on arrival”.

Opposition members heavily criticized the performance of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), labeling it the most corrupt organisation. They accused FBR officials of colluding with smugglers and tax evaders, severely undermining revenue collection efforts.

Omar Ayub claimed that oil worth Rs550 billion was smuggled from Iran annually, with 72,000 18-wheeler trucks—each carrying 30,000 litres—entering Pakistan. He also dismissed the government’s claims of reduced inflation, stating that purchasing power continues to shrink, pushing 44 percent of the population below the poverty line.

He blamed the PMLN government (2013-18) for inflating capacity payments from Rs450 billion to Rs2,200 billion due to dubious power purchase agreements with the independent power producers (IPPs).

JUIF’s Aliya Kamran, while mov