Opposition behaviour non-parliamentary during Punjab budget session: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar Monday said the opposition adopted an undemocratic and non-parliamentary behaviour by resorting to hooliganism during the budget speech in the assembly.

Talking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly after the budget session, he congratulated the treasury members over coming up with a people-friendly budget.

The CM said the opposition was busy in politics of non-issues, and it is improper for them to obstruct the budget speech. He said people had been given substantial relief in the budget. It is not jugglery of words like the past, as the public welfare had been fully focused and a colossal 66 per cent increase had been made in the development budget.

A new era of development would start in Punjab and no better budget could be presented in the prevailing circumstances, added the CM. Special Assistant to Chief Minister (SACM) Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPAs were also present.

Earlier, Usman Buzdar attended the budget session and congratulated finance minister for presenting a balanced and relief-oriented budget. He appreciated the steps taken for ensuring ease of doing business.

Finance Minister Hashim Jawan Bakht started the budget speech at 5:06pm and opposition, while holding placards, constantly chanted slogans against the government. Some members of the house also started thumping desks during the recitation from the Holy Quran, on which their colleagues asked them to stop. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who took oath after three years in the last PA session, once again remained absent from the proceedings and did not attend the budget session.