Budget debate: Opposition will present full strength during voting in NA today

ISLAMABAD: The opposition groups in two houses of Parliament have decided to follow all procedural methods to resist passage of next fiscal year’s budget and no let-up will be allowed in the process of debate and later head counts in the course of adoption of demands and grants for various ministries and divisions, cut motions and finance bill.

Well-placed parliamentary sources told The News here Sunday that leaders of the opposition parliamentary groups had extensive discussion with the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly for evolving strategy regarding budget debate commencing today (Monday) in the two houses. They have outrightly discarded the impression that the opposition has reached on any understanding with the treasury for the passage of budget. The impression has been given by some quarters of the government party.

The opposition sources maintained that since all the groups have already rejected the budget proposals presented by the government in National Assembly and later placed before the Senate on Friday, it would not be possible for the opposition to allow the government to get through the budget in National Assembly without any resistance. The budget has been tabulated by the IMF and it has crushed the poor and masses who were already under tremendous pressure due to the policies of the government and mishandling of coronavirus spread.

The sources said that the opposition has developed an understanding with the Parliament House authorities to follow precautions to protect the members and staff of the Parliament from the coronavirus. The matter of the fact is that the opposition initiated consultations for the purpose and the government was also on board on the question of preventive measures. The sources pointed out that at no stage the government had any formal or otherwise consultations with the opposition regarding the budget proposals before its presentation. They reminded that the relevant documents of budget were not provided in-time to the opposition members during and even after the budget speech on Friday. It shows the seriousness of the government about the debate and opposition’s point of view in the matter.

The sources recalled that Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has wrongly told his ruling party’s group meeting of the parliamentary party that the government has struck any deal with the opposition for the passage of budget. The meeting took place before the start of the budget session on Friday. Leader of opposition in Senate Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq is also on board in the matter. He had detailed consultations with the fellow group leaders in the upper house of Parliament including PPP’s Ms. Sherry Rehman, Mian Raza Rabbani, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Maulana Ataur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Usman Khan Kakkar, JI Amir Senator Sirajul Haq, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Ms. Sitara Ayaz.

The sources also brushed aside the impression that the members of the opposition would stay away during the voting on various clauses of budget or would attend the sitting in a small number. They said the impression is false since such an understanding with the incumbent administration would be defeating the cause of democracy.

The opposition will try to defeat the government during voting on cut motions, finance bill and if find opportunity shall inflict defeat upon the government. But it’s the question of morality that if the government is defeated on such move, it would stick to the government or step down to adhere the democratic norms.

Interestingly one of the major allies of the government’s BNP-Mengal isn’t comfortable with the administration and stayed away from the parliamentary group meeting on Friday. Sensing the heat, the government has initiated contact with the independent members of the National Assembly for mustering their support and Federal Minister Pervez Khattak has been assigned to establish contact with the PTM members, the sources added.