The Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) has approved its third budget worth of Rs 10.752 billion for the fiscal year 2018-19, in the session held at Town Hall on Monday. The budget session was presided over by Speaker Rao Suhabuddin whereas Mayor Lahore Colonel (r) Mubashir Javed presented the budget in front of the House amid sheer pandemonium and protest from opposition benches. It’s pertinent to mention that this session was supposed to be held on July 16, but it was postponed due to temporarily suspended officials of metropolitan corporations from the Election Commission of Pakistan in connection to make General Election 2018 free, fair and transparent. However, the House turned into a fish market after not getting a permission of speech to Opposition of the House Afeef Ashraf Siddique from Speaker before mayor’s budget speech. Opposition members have torn the budget copies and recorded a protest by surrounding the desk of Mayor Lahore. Both houses have chanted slogans against each other. The session was started after 50 minutes delayed. Opposition has denied accepting the budget. In the annual budget Fiscal Year 2018-19, 2.4 billion has been allocated for development budget, Rs 63,450 million for ongoing development schemes and Rs 300 million for construction and renovation of roads. A sum of Rs 150 million allocated for street lights, Rs 70 million for national festival/day, Rs 150 million for Filter Plants, Rs 41 million for sports, Rs 21 million for civil defense and Rs 100 million for Eidul Azha. Published in Daily Times, July 31st 2018.