ISLAMABAD: Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem on Tuesday challenged opposition parties for an open and live discussion with the economic team of the government on budget 2021-22.
Taking part in the budget debate in Senate Session, he said that budget 2021-22 was for the whole nation and country.
He said the government would appreciate concrete recommendations in budget but just criticism for political gains would not work.
Farogh Naseem said the nationwide Chambers of Commerce have appreciated this budget. However, he assured the opposition that the issue raised regarding authority to arrest before the investigation in sale tax cases would be revised.
He said the government has not registered cases against political leadership belonging to the opposition.
The law minister said these cases were registered by the concerned departments and government has nothing to do with it.
He said that inflation is a very complex issue and the steps being taken by the government economic team would bring improvement soon.
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Parliamentary Leader Senator Azam Nazir Tarar criticized the budget.
He also raised the issue of arrest prior to investigation.
Senator Sherry Rehman also highlighted the same issue and the leader of the Opposition in the Senate Yousaf Raza Gilani demanded to avoid such laws.
Leader of the House in the Senator Dr. Shahzad Waseem said that Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was working on it and hope consensus on it.
During consideration of legislative business, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan moved two bills seeking amendment in electoral laws.
These bills were the Elections (Amendment Bill) Bill, 2021, and the Elections (Second Amendment) Bill, 2021, and both were referred to the relevant standing committee.
In addition, the House witnessed the introduction of four other bills which were The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Bill, 2021, The Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Pakistan Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2021. All these bills were also referred to the relevant standing committees for deliberation.