PA passes Finance Bill

LAHORE:Punjab Assembly on Wednesday passed Finance Bill which was later signed by the PA Speaker. Besides, the Punjab Assembly members have also supported the proposal of establishing of an authority empowering Speaker Punjab Assembly on taking decision regarding the salary structure of the MPAs.

The PA session which started with a delay of over two hours with Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan in chair passed the Finance Bill moved by Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman. The Bill has been sent to Governor's House for approval after the PA Speaker signed it.

Besides, the Treasury and Opposition benches came on same page over the setting up of an authority headed by Speaker to decide about salary, allowances of members of the House. Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan of Opposition on a point of order stated that elected members of the Punjab Assembly were not the government employees; therefore, PA Speaker, not the government must hold the powers to decide about the salary, allowances of the legislators. He stated the Speaker should get the budget of MPAs wages from the government and decide over it. Sami Ullah Khan of PMLN also endorsed the views expressed by Rana Aftab. The Speaker reserved his ruling in this regard.