The National Assembly on Monday stressed the need for exploiting the existing energy potential in minerals, hydrocarbon, wind and solar power sectors to achieve self-reliance and put the country on a consistent path of progress and prosperity. Initiating the debate on Federal Budget 2022-23 in the House, Leader of Opposition Raja Riaz Ahmed urged the government to take some concrete measures to improve the economic conditions of the poor and middle class by providing interest free loans to enable them to start their own business. Cheap electricity, diesel, seed and fertilizer should be provided to farmers for making the country self-sufficient in production of wheat, lentils, cotton and other eatables. Incentives especially cheap electricity should also be provided to industrialists for increasing employment opportunities in the sector. Complete ban should be imposed on smuggled items for promotion of indigenous products. He stressed increasing hydel electricity production by constructing maximum dams. The alternate sources of power production especially wind, solar should also be preferred. He lamented for ignoring power and solar sectors in the budget. Raja Riaz also urged the government to make workable strategy for increasing country’s exports, saying he failed to note any strategy for producing cheap electricity and making country self-sufficient besides exploring untapped natural resources in the budget documents. He urged to government to devise a workable strategy to rid the country from the clutches of International Monitory Fund (IMF) as country can’t progress without ending dependency on loans. Lashing out at the PTI government for not taking any step for increasing power production during their tenure, he said most areas of the country was facing 12 hours load shedding. He stressed allocating sufficient funds for education, health sectors and introducing judicial reforms. He severely criticized government run hospitals for not providing facilities to poor patients. Talking about ever increasing dollar rupee parity ratio, he urged all political parties to join hands for steering the country from out of crisis. Criticising India, he said the leadership of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) including Yasin Malik, Syed Ali Gilani and others should be conferred special national awards. The government to raise the issue of blasphemy by BJP leaders in United Nations and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), he added. Participating in budget debate, Ghous Buksh Khan Mehr criticized the government and claimed that the inflation has cross 25 percent. He stressed providing incentives to agriculture sector. Farmers should be provided solar tube wells for minimizing their expenditures. He demanded fixing the ratio of tax on credit cards upto minimum level proposed in the budget. Noor-ul-Hassan Tanvir condemned sacrilegious remarks of Indian ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party leaders against Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH). The love to Holy Prophet (PBUH) was basic part of each Muslim’s believe. Loving the Prophet (PBUH) was a natural feeling that flows within the heart of a believer. This love was considered a virtue and a condition for every believer. The House was adjourned to meet again at 4 pm, Tuesday.