Countering any ‘unconstitutional move’: Must attend budget session, Hamza asks party, allied MPAs

LAHORE: The PMLN government in Punjab has asked all its members to ensure their presence in the budget session to be held on Monday (today) to counter any unconstitutional move by the speaker Punjab Assembly.

While chairing a meeting of PMLN’s provincial parliamentary party late night on Sunday, Chief Minister Punjab Mian Hamza Shehbaz directed all PMLN MPAs to ensure their attendance in the session and also asked the members of allied parties to attend the session. At least, 15 members of the PMLN didn’t attend the meeting due to personal reasons, while the MPAs of PPP and other allied parties were also present in the meeting.

The provincial parliamentary party expressed full confidence in the leadership of Punjab chief minister, who said they would move forward with determination to facilitate the people by creating more and more opportunities.

The Punjab CM said, “I go to the field myself to resolve the sufferings of the common man. We would give relief to the people in the budget, who were worried about the economic situation,” further saying that the provincial government’s goal was to revive the economy and welfare of common man. The meeting proposed measures to provide more relief to the poor in the budget, saying that he was hopeful that the present government would overcome the crisis and the economy would also get back on track soon. It was also discussed that the PMLN and its allies have a majority in the assembly and would be able to get the budget approved.

The meeting also formulated a strategy for the budget session as well as to counter any unconstitutional move of the Speaker Punjab Assembly Ch Pervaiz Elahi.

Meanwhile, the second phase of expansion in the Punjab cabinet was postponed again and the swearing-in of the provincial finance minister fell into disarray. The party sources said an internal rift in the PMLN as well as concerns of the top leadership of PPP was the reason for the delay. The sources said the matter of taking oath by the cabinet was postponed and it would now take place after the approval of the budget. Before that deliberations would take place between top leaderships of the PPP and PMLN over the share in the Punjab cabinet.

Sources said the people surrounding Hamza Shehbaz didn’t want to give 'good ministries' to the PPP as well as to the PMLN members, saying that the chief minister is scheduled to meet the prime minister over the issue to make future strategy.

The sources said the PPP was keen to get portfolios of key ministries in case the PMLN was not ready to give them the finance ministry. On the other hand, the PMLN and provincial parliamentary party had decided that Sardar Owais Leghari would read the budget speech. The Punjab finance department has forwarded the budget speech points to him.