Legislation on mini-budget, SBP continues to echo in National Assembly

ISLAMABAD: The legislation on the mini-budget and the bill pertaining to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) continue to echo in the National Assembly as members of the opposition benches strongly criticised the government for burdening people with extra Rs350 billion taxes and making the central bank unanswerable to the government.

A member of the treasury benches was so annoyed for not being entertained as a backbencher that he said that issues of the country would be resolved amicably if the names of legislators seated on the first three rows of treasury benches were placed on the Exit Control List (ECL).

A member of the opposition also pointed out that no recording was made of January 13’s proceedings of the House as was required.

Read more: NA adopts Finance (Supplementary) Bill by majority amid opposition’s sloganeering

Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N)’s legislature Khawaja Muhammad Asif, while criticising the government, said that whatever was done by the government and its allies on January 13 had no precedent in the past especially during the past 35 years.

While criticising the chair, he said that the speaker even during the era of dictatorship avoided the approach which was adopted during the proceedings of the National Assembly a day ago.

He said the government had handed over the SBP to the International Monitory Fund (IMF) and generations to come would remember the government for its disloyalty against the country.

He said the government had compromised the economic sovereignty of the country through controversial legislations.

Riaz Hussain Pirzada of the PML-N said that first rivers of the country were handed over (to India) and then matter of Kashmir was surrendered and now the SBP had also been handed over (to the IMF).

He said elected people were scolded and unelected persons were treated as honourable. “We have seen the convoys of vehicles which were so astonishing that even PM’s convoy seems nothing in front of them.”

He stated that he had been fed up of the politics while monitoring situation like it. He asked that why in so hurry the bill pertaining to the SBP was legislated.

Pirzada also highlighted the issue in recording system of the NA and said that no proceeding of the House on January 13 was recorded on the system as was required.

A member of the treasury benches, Noor Alam Khan asked whether the lawmakers who sat on backbenches had the right to speak on the floor of the House. He said front three rows of the treasury benches were solely responsible for the worsening situation of the country. “Put the names of persons who sit on the first three rows (of treasury benches) on the ECL and everything would return to normalcy,” he said.

He also raised question on ignoring of Peshawar on several issues and said the city was being deprived of electricity and gas. He said whether only Swabi, Swat or Mianwali were districts of Pakistan and not Peshawar. He said whether he had been mandated only to cast vote (in favour of the government).

Read more: NA rejects opposition’s amendments on mini-budget

PTI MNA Amjad Ali Khan defended the government’s move of legislation on the SBP. He said a lot of deliberation was made in meetings of the standing committee on the finance on the bill. He said it’s a wrong perception that the SBP had been handed over the IMF. He said the government wanted to make the SBP an autonomous body. He said the prime minister would appoint authority with regard to the Board of Directors of the SBP. He said putting question mark on the patriotism of anyone was not the right approach.

Another PTI MNA Faheem Khan demanded handing over of Karachi to the rangers again because of the security concerns. The deputy speaker Qasim Suri presided the entire sitting of the House and he adjourned the session to meet again on Monday at 4pm.