Govt unlikely to summon NA for supplementary budget

ISLAMABAD: The government does not seem to be summoning a session of the National Assembly for taking up any supplementary budget for the ongoing fiscal year as it has still not intimated the NA Secretariat about convening any such sitting for discussing the fiscal matter.

An important session of the assembly is likely to take place in the second week of next month, in which the legislation would be done to ensure the sovereignty of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) in line with an agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News on Wednesday that since no fiscal bill is under consideration, a special session of the National Assembly isn’t required for taking it up.

When reminded of a hint dropped by Shaukat Tarin, Advisor to the PM on Finance and Revenue, the sources said when taxation is being carried out on a day-to-day basis through different executive orders and adjustments made in the already enforced fiscal system in various departments, any amended fiscal bill is not needed to be passed by the assembly.

The sources said the National Assembly, that was adjourned sine die last week, would be summoned to complete the mandated minimum days of the NA session in a year that would end in July next year. The NA has to adopt a motion of thanks for the president for his address to the joint sitting of the Parliament that he delivered in September last year, the sources said.

The sources said it is a formality to be observed in accordance with the Constitution. The members of both sides of isle are supposed to shed light on the various national and local problems in their speeches during the discussion about the presidential address.

Interestingly, the presidential address didn’t have any substantial material, which the members could discuss while referring to it but it is implied that they could raise the problems at their own without referring to the address made by the president, the sources added.