Daily Times

The National Assembly witnessed the initiation of the general debate on the federal budget 2023-24 on Monday, with both the treasury and opposition benches actively participating in the discussion.

Following parliamentary tradition, the opposition leader, Raja Riaz Ahmed, took the floor to kickstart the budget debate. During the proceedings, MQM lawmaker Salahuddin congratulated Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar and his entire team for presenting the federal budget. Expressing his optimism, Salahuddin hoped that the budget would provide relief to the citizens.

He highlighted the import of oil from Russia and emphasized that this crude oil would be provided to refineries. Additionally, he prayed for the success of the negotiations between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and mentioned that the finance minister had assured the presence of a backup plan (Plan B) in case the negotiations fail.

MNA Salahuddin praised the increase in salaries of government employees in the federal budget, stating that it would bring relief to them. While acknowledging the positive aspects of the budget, he cautioned that the targets set within it might be overly ambitious. He pointed out that although it had been claimed that there were no additional taxes, certain taxes, including withholding tax, had indeed been increased.

Mr. Salahuddin also highlighted the focus on agriculture, information technology, and industries in the budget, while stressing the need for a conducive environment to promote industrial growth in the country. He welcomed the incentives provided to overseas Pakistanis to boost remittances and appreciated the allocation for a university at Hyderabad in the Public Sector Development Program. MNA Salahuddin also noted the emphasis on women’s education in the budget. Furthermore, Mr. Salahuddin requested the government to provide a detailed policy regarding Pakistan Steel Mills.

He expressed his desire for the privatization of all institutions that burden the economy. He criticized the financial policies of the previous PTI government and condemned the mayhem that occurred on May 9, 2023. While affirming respect for the armed forces, he accused the PTI chairman of having an agenda to damage the country’s policies. He also spoke about the corruption of PTI leadership and said that the public was deceived.

During his speech, he further highlighted the fact that the meeting of the Provincial Finance Commission had not been held for several years. Mr. Salahuddin emphasized the collective desire to foster prosperity in Pakistan and achieve economic stability within the country. The ongoing budget debate in the National Assembly reflects the diverse opinions and concerns of lawmakers regarding the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2023-24. Later, the House was adjourned to meet again on June 13, 2023 (Tuesday) and it would resume the debate on budget.