Finance bill to be tabled in NA today

ISLAMABAD: The opposition in the National Assembly (NA) has asked its elderly members not to attend today’s sitting of the House although it would be “D-Day” for next year’s fiscal budget since the finance bill will be placed before the legislature for adoption during the day proceedings.

The government will have to ensure majority votes of the present members in the House for getting the budget through in the National Assembly.

Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News here Sunday that the panic-stricken stalwarts of the treasury benches have been burning their midnight oil these days to solicit support of the maximum numbers of the members of the National Assembly to ward off any threat to the passage of the budget after parting ways by BNP-Mengal and turning some members of the government angry with their leadership. The government and opposition adhered strictly to the understanding they had arrived at before the commencement of the Parliament’s session.

The government was bound to ensure the presence of the members required for quorum of the House during the whole session and the Opposition had been providing its share of the members throughout the session. It is understood that the same will be applicable on today (Monday’s) sitting where the finance bill will essentially be presented for head count.

The sources pointed out that in case the Opposition manages to bring the members of the National Assembly more than what the government produces in the House, the speaker could be forced to go by the book for counting and the understanding would be vanished. The opposition has gone furious and the government is smelling foul that has forced it to run its horses here and there feeling serious threat.

The proceedings of the House today are bound to be stormy because the opposition has made up its mind to agitate the increase in the fuel prices and price hike of other commodities before finance bill’s presentation under the instruction of leader of opposition Shehbaz Sharif. The sources pointed out that the opposition doesn’t want to disturb the whole arrangement as the country is already in the grip of grave crisis of the worst order due to corona and collapse of economy.

In case the budget is defeated for toppling the government, it would be disastrous, and the situation could go beyond control of anyone. The new budget is supposed to be in place on Wednesday (July 1). The stake holders have also worked extra-time for the passage of the budget and sought assurances from the concern in this regard. The government is so panic that it has thrown speaker of the National Assembly also in the fray to obtain the support of the members for the budget. The office of the speaker demands neutrality and traditionally he doesn’t play such role so openly. He was also used to convince Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) for attending the Sunday evening meeting of the allies convened by the prime minister at his official residence but the PML-Q declined to oblige. The PML-Q of Chaudharys wants to maintain reasonable distance with the ruling PTI due to the reasons, the sources said.

The Opposition has decided to take up the question of launching movement against the government in its slated all parties conference (APC) at the top of agenda that could take place next week in case Shahbaz Sharif is recovered from the corona. The rejection of the budget by all the opposition and independent parties is manifestation of the resolve to initiate public awareness campaign against the policies of the government. The government is of the view that the people wouldn’t come out in the streets due to the coronavirus but the feedback that the Opposition leadership has gathered is contrary to that, the sources said.

Leader of the House Prime Minister Imran Khan will also turn up in the National Assembly today and the finance bill will be tabled in his presence. It would be his third appearance in the House during the budget session. The National Assembly will be prorogued tomorrow after passage of supplementary grants for the outgoing year. The government had planned to convert the budget session into a marathon exercise by continuing it till mid-August, but it has suddenly changed its mind. It is likely that another session of the National Assembly would be summoned towards the end of the first week of July, the sources hinted. It is understood that the next session would also be with physical presence of the members.