ISLAMABAD - The PTI’s government in Thursday’s National Assembly session came under severe criticism for not increasing salaries and pensions of government employees, frequently changing lockdown policy and its insufficient measures to control locust attack in the country.

The opposition blamed the government for taking cover of Coronavirus, as the economic situation of the country was unsatisfactory even before the first case of COVID-19 in the country.

The opposition members also asked the speaker of the National Assembly to issue a production order of PPP-P’s senior member Syed Khursheed Shah so that he could participate in the budget session.

Whereas, the members of the ruling party claimed to perform better than the previous governments [PML-N and PPP-P]. PPP-P’s economic wizard Naveed Qamar, taking part in the debate, said that the unemployment rate is fast increasing with each passing day during the current government era.

“A large number of people were jobless even before the Corona crisis due to policies of the incumbent government,” he said, commenting that government should not try to take the shield of coronavirus to hide its incompetence. “Don’t blame the corona crisis as the economic situation of the country cannot deteriorate only in three months,” he argued. Qamar criticised the government for its improper measures in the agriculture sector. “Why the government has not taken measures to control locust despite prior warning,” he said.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan , at the fag end of proceedings, said that this government had comparatively working better than the previous governments despite crisis. He supported the idea for introducing an interest-free system in the country. He said that the politicians should avoid turning political difference into personal enmity.

PTI’s Sana Ullah Masti Khel, taking part in debate, criticized previous governments for taking improper measures in the health sector. “The rulers from the previous government had not worked in the health sector and now they are abroad for their medical treatment,” he said, mentioning that the previous government failed to control dengue.

ANP’s MNA Amir Haider Hoti demanded an increase in the salaries and pensions of government servants. He feared that the government would introduce a mini-budget in a couple of months.

Member from opposition benches Mohsin Shah Nawaz said that the government had not provided relief to the masses in this budget. “I will term it an IMF budget,” he said, mentioning that the government should fulfil its claims.

PTI’s Lal Chand said that the government has introduced a tax-free budget in the Corona crisis. He criticized the Sindh government for not using its funds for the health sector.

An independent MNA from North Waziristan Mohsin Dawar said that there was no facility of an online education system in the former FATA area in the ongoing Corona crisis.

MNA Mir Muhammad Jamali said both federal government and provincial governments should take effective measures to avoid locusts attack in Balochistan.