ISLAMABAD - javaid-ur-rahman - The National Assembly on Thursday continued the debate on annual budget for the fiscal year 2013-14, with the opposition disapproving of the budgetary proposals for an increase in GST, insufficient raise in salaries of government servants, unclear policy on Pak-Iran gas pipeline; and some members of treasury benches supporting the proposals, and viewing Kalabagh dam construction as means to address the issue of power shortfall.
A large number of lawmakers both on treasury and opposition benches, taking the floor, spoke on issues unrelated to budget.
During the debate, which would be winded up today (Friday) by Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, a clear divide was witnessed between PML-N and PPP over the issue of Kalabagh Dam as the lawmakers from the ruling party argued it should be constructed to resolve the issue of electricity shortage, while PPP members contended there was no need to construct it.
With other unrelated proposals for budget 2013-14 from lawmakers, a legislator from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Mujhahid Ali, demanded the government to release Mumtaz Qadri, a security guard who assassinated former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer. However, PTI's senior legislator Arif Alvi later clarified it was not an opinion of PTI and just a suggestion of a party individual.
An opposition MNA from MQM, Sajid Ahmed, while criticising the budgetary documents, also highlighted the worsening law and order situation in sprawling Karachi, and asked the government to take concrete measures for its redress. “We have divided India,” he said and after taking a pause added, “You can better understand what I want to say.''
Taking part in the debate, Eijazul Haq, chief of his own faction PML-Z, stressed the need for a transparent policy on the various issues. He demanded all secret agreements be shared with the assembly. Haq also said the attack on Quaid’s Ziarat residency was actually an attack on ideology of Pakistan. About war against terrorism, he said Pakistan had suffered huge loss in terms of lives and money. He said blame game against the Inter-Services Intelligence and military establishment should be stopped, and instead “we should focus on activities of India’s RAW, America’s CIA and other foreign spy agencies, particularly in the neighbouring Afghanistan”.
Haq noted the PML-N government had raised salaries of government employees after facing a lot of pressure. He strongly opposed to the allocation of Rs75billion for BISP, saying the PML-N had earlier opposed this allocation when they were on opposition benches.
Another member from opposition benches, PTI’s senior legislator Javed Hashmi, while opposing the budgetary proposals, commented that Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar through the budget had pushed the PML-N to an extent where even the PPP reached after lasting its five-year term. He suggested to the PML-N government to take back its budgetary proposals. "You were not prepared...Budget was prepared in haste," he stated, adding earlier a government had practiced to take back the budgetary proposals and saved their government this way.
He added that the government through this budget had virtually turned direction of taxes from the rich towards the poor segment of society. He said the government had once again opted to go to IMF, and hence took again the begging bowl which it had broken a decade ago.
He demanded that Islamabad should be made separate province to properly manage the affairs of the city with Rs2million population. Hashmi also asked the government to resolve the issues of people as it was the best time for it to deliver.
Another legislator, Jamshaid Dasti from South Punjab, while supporting the proposal of the PML-N legislator about the construction of Kalabagh Dam, proposed an all parties conference to develop a consensus on the issue. He was of the view that if the government could collect all the taxes then there would be no need to impose further taxes in coming years. He also expressed the hope the PML-N government would overcome the crisis.
Taking part in the debate, PML-N lawmaker Tehmina Daultana urged opposition parties to help the government implement it for the betterment of the country.  PPP legislator Mehreen Bhutto strongly opposed imposition of GST before passage of the federal budget 2013-14. He said there was no allocation about Pak-Iran gas pipeline in the budget.
Taking part in the debate, PML-N MNA Tahira Aurangzeb said the country was facing severe economic challenges but the incumbent government presented a good budget which was prepared in five days. She also recalled that the previous government had failed to arrest killers of Benazir Bhutto. She lauded the PML-N government for its decision to increase allocations for BISP.
Another MNA Ghulam Rasul criticised the proposal regarding cut in defence budget. "Sorry to hear this proposal...If the government has resources then the defence budget should be increased," he added.
PPP legislator Nafeesa Shah termed the budgetary proposals as miscalculated, saying preferences were not correct. "It is not a pro-poor budget….Mere slogans would not work," she added.
Other legislators Waheed Alam, Shah Munir Mir, Beluim Hasnain, Hasan Nawaz, Noor Muhammad and others also took part in the debate.