ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi yesterday said the Opposition cannot dictate terms to the government on the national budget for the fiscal year 2018-19.
A participant of the federal cabinet meeting held here told The Nation that Abbasi said the people gave Pakistan Muslim League mandate for five years, so the government will use its authority until the last day in power.
The opposition parties, led by Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, have been urging the government not to present budget for the whole year as its term is about to end. PPP and PTI believe the next government should present the fiscal plan for the full year while the outgoing government can introduce a three to four months’ budget.
PM Abbasi is, however, determined to present the full fiscal year budget before going into the general elections to be held in July.
The participant of the meeting said Abbasi who chaired the cabinet meeting wants to use every moment of the mandated five-year term to serve the masses.
Reports said the budget to be presented on April 27 will most likely be an election budget which will be hard to be managed by the next government if PML-N is voted out.
An official statement issued after the meeting said the cabinet ratified the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Energy during its meetings held on 2nd and 3rd April.
The cabinet accorded approval to Special Forces Training Agreement between Nigerian Air Force and Pakistan Army for training in Nigeria.
The cabinet ratified recommendation of Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases in respect of proposed amendments in Rule 26 of the Drug (Licensing, Registering and Advertising) Rule, 1976, and Amendment in the Jammu and Kashmir (Administration of Property) Rules, 1961.
The cabinet accorded approval for appointment of District and Sessions Judge Kamran Basharat Mufti as a presiding officer in the Intellectual Property Tribunal, Islamabad.
Approval was accorded for repatriation of Special Court Judge, Karachi, Azam Anwar Baloch, and appointment of District and Sessions Judge (BS-21) Ghulam Mustafa Memon as judge, Special Court, Karachi, in his place.
The cabinet approved appointment of Shahid Masood Manzar as Appellate Tribunal Inland Revenue chairman. Approval was accorded for amendments in the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act, 1973, and placement of the amended bill before the parliament.
The cabinet maintained its earlier decision to dissolve the Engineering Development Board of the Ministry of Industries and Production.
The cabinet accorded approval for signing of several memorandums of understanding. It approved the MoU on Electronic Origin Data Exchange between Customs Administration under China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement.
The MoU between the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus and the Customs Wing of the Federal Board of Revenue of Pakistan on cooperation in exchange for Customs Statistics Data Bilateral Trade was approved.
The MoU between the office of the auditor general for Pakistan and the office of auditor general for Nepal on cooperation in public-sector auditing was approved by the cabinet.
The MoU between Department of Auditor General for Pakistan and Accounts Chamber of Tajikistan on cooperation in public-sector auditing was also approved.
Opposition can’t dictate terms on budget: Abbasi
SHAFQAT ALI
