LAHORE - Legislators from across the political divide resorted to usual blame game instead of giving desired input during debate on supplementary budget at the Punjab Assembly on Monday.

Opposition accused the present regime of making lives of the masses miserable by adopting wrong economic policies and bad governance. Treasury, however, praised Prime Minister Imran Khan led government for clearing the mess of previous regimes and putting the country back on track.

The session started more than two hours behind the scheduled time with Speaker Ch Parvez Elahi in the chair.

Rejecting the supplementary budget, PML-N’s Rana Muhammad Iqbal reminded the ruling party that its Chairman used to term such practice political bribe.

PM Imran led govt cleared the mess of previous regimes

“How it has become legitimate now as your leader used to term it as political bribe in the past. The Finance Minister is talking about the subsidy on flour worth Rs86 billion but the masses are unable to get the essential commodity,” said Rana Iqbal. He said that it was really shameful that citizens of an atomic power were not getting flour bags only due to the inefficiency of the incumbent rulers. He said that DAP fertilizer bag which was available at Rs2500 during the PML-N tenure was now being sold at Rs5700. Former PA Speaker also praised Ch Parvez Elahi for completing the new building.

Treasury law makers accused the previous regime of ruining the economy by adopting wrong policies. 

If the PML-N had done anything good during their tenure, then there was no need for the PTI to go to the International Monterey Fund for bailout package, they said. The present government has presented a people friendly budget, said treasury MPAs.

PPP Parliamentary Leader Syed Hassan Murtaza demanded accountability of politicians as well as bureaucrats, saying the country would not make progress if both were not held accountable for the wrong doings. 

“We politicians say thieves to each other. Bureaucrats should also be held accountable for their blunders”, he said. He questioned that how it is possible that an officer of the Deputy Secretary rank can become the member of Gymkhana but an MPA can’t.

Parliamentary Secretary Nadeem Qureshi said that those who have ruled for 35 years were not happy over allocation of huge amount for Annual Development Program. PTI’s Seemabia Tahir said that country has come out of crisis due to the policies of the government.

Later, Panel of Chairman Mian Shafi adjourned the session till Tuesday afternoon.