- Advertisement -
LAHORE, Feb 28 (APP):The Punjab Assembly (PA) on Wednesday approved rupees 358 billion grant as supplementary budget for the month of March 2024 during the PA session in the assembly chambers here.
The PA session started three hours 15 minutes behind its scheduled time with Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan in the chair. The day’s agenda was to approve supplementary budget by the house to meet essential expenses.
The treasury benches MPA Marriyum Aurangzeb moved the motion to approve current expenses of the newly-formed Punjab government before the august house. The chair allowed the motion under Rules 125 and 104 of the Punjab assembly. The Chair invited the opposition to debate the motion in case of objection or it may ask for a vote on the motion.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, in the motion, had demanded that the budget should be allowed for smooth functioning of the day to day affairs in the province till the formation of the government and the provincial cabinet. She said the budget proposals could not be formulated due to the absence of the cabinet, adding that the province may face a shut down if a supplementary budget was not approved by the house.
Meanwhile, Leader of the House Maryam Nawaz Sharif went across the aisle to greet the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) leader Rana Aftab Ahmed as the opposition was absent from the house on the day the Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz won the vote of confidence in the house.
The Leader of the House Maryam Nawaz assured the SIC leader that her doors were open to the opposition as she was Chief Minister of the whole of the province. She said her doors were open for the treasury as well as opposition members.
Speaking on a point of order, Rana Aftab said that the house should be briefed on the need of supplementary budget above 358 billion rupees, adding that it was necessary to debate the supplementary budget. He said the details of the beneficiary department had not been presented before the house, adding whether the whole budgetary grant was being demanded under the head of salaries.
He further said the honorable MPA Marriyum Aurangzeb could not table the motion as it was the prerogative of the Finance Minister or the Chief Minister herself.
In his ruling under Rule 125 of the Rules of Business of the PA, the Chair said that any member may table the bill under the circumstances, adding that the PA was authorized to allow advance payments. The Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan further added it was the absolute discretion of the Speaker to allow such motion.
The motion, by MPA Marriyum Aurangzeb, to adopt the estimated financial expenditure by the Punjab government was adopted by the House.
Marriym Aurangzeb, speaking on a point of order, said that nothing was being done in the dark rather the motion was adopted by the house in the day of light, adding that the 358 billion rupees will be used for salaries of the government officials and honorable judges. She said money will also be used for the utility bills of the hospitals and procurement of medicine in hospitals.
She called upon the Chair to present details of the bills before the house for the information of all and sundry.
Upon completion of the business of the day, Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan adjourned the session for an indefinite period.