NA, Senate to open debate on budget today

ISLAMABAD (INP) - The National Assembly and the Senate will resume their sessions after a two-day break and begin debate on the Federal Budget 2011-12. The budget was presented by the Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh on Friday. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is to open the budget debate from the Opposition side and is expected to launch a serious attack on the government for its alleged failure to revive the economy, controlling inflation, price-hike and unemployment and more reliance on foreign and domestic borrowing. Sources in the PML-N said the Opposition would not boycott the NA debate on the budget and infact expose the weakness of the government before the people. In addition to general debate, the Opposition is filing hundreds of cut motions and has devised a strategy to highlight the corruption in different Ministries. However, it is understood that after utilising all the opportunities to criticise the government, the Opposition PML-N is certain to stage a walk-out before the passage of the budget saying that it would not become a party in the passage of anti-people budget. In the Senate, new Leader of the Opposition Senator Ishaq Dar, who is also a financial expert would open the debate and identify the lacunas in the budget and suggest remedial measures. Since, the Upper House has no authority to vote on the money bill, the House will send its recommendations after a week-long debate to the National Assembly for their possible inclusion in the budget.

ePaper - Nawaiwaqt