Opp protests during budget speech

LAHORE: Opposition on Monday staged strong protest during the budget speech of Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht for the year 2020-21.

The protest by Opposition started when PML-N legislator Rana Mashhood Ahmed sought permission from Speaker to speak on a point of order and his request was turned down. The Opposition members gathered just in front of Speaker's chair soon after the Finance Minister started his speech. Holding placards carrying slogans of “Cheeni Chor, Atta Chor,” the Opposition members also chanted vociferous slogans against the PTI government while ignoring the instructions by PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who chaired the session.

For the first time in the history of Punjab, the annual budget has been presented in a hotel instead of the PA building because of the Covid-19 threat. The Opposition members continued to chant different slogans such as “Budget Naa Manzoor”, “Chin Gyee Roti, Kapra aur Makan, Hy Imran” etc.

During the protest, Opposition leader in PA Hamza Shahbaz also remained active and kept watching the protest from his seat. Soon after the Opposition leader left the hall, the Opposition also called off its protest inside the House and followed him. Later, the Opposition also staged a protest outside the main hall and rejected the budget.

Earlier, the PA session started with a delay of nearly two hours with Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in chair. Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and PA Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi also held meeting before the session.