Prime Minister Imran Khan addressing at the budget session of the National Assembly a day after the government smoothly passed budget for the fiscal year 2021-22.
Beginning his speech, the prime minister invited all opposition parties to hold talks on electoral reforms and said that we have to take this step today to prevent further allegations of fraud.
Prime Minister Imran Khan was speaking at the budget session of the National Assembly a day after the government smoothly passed Finance Bill 2021-22.
The prime minister, as he began speaking, invited the Opposition to work with the government on election reforms. “After 1970, all elections have been controversial,” he said.
The premier said the recently held by-polls and Senate elections were made controversial as well.
PM Imran Khan said the government had been mulling ways to make the elections acceptable to all the parties, and reminded the Opposition that election reforms would benefit democracy.
“The time has come to make the country’s elections acceptable to everyone,” he said, adding that in the US, when former president Trump had cast aspersions on the elections, their media and people demanded proof.
“We did the same in 2013. We had asked the then government to hold recounting in four constituencies, and in all four, rigging was proved.
“After trying our best […] we came to the conclusion that EVMs (electronic voting machines) are the only solution,” he said.
Lauding Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin and his team, the premier said they had presented the budget in line with his vision. “When we had begun our struggle 22 years back, we had one aim in mind: to build an Islamic welfare state — the objective of our founding fathers.”
The premier said if the country steps back from this aim, then there would be “no justification for Pakistan’s existence”.
PM Imran Khan said that the budget reflected the PTI’s three core principles — justice, humanity, and self-sufficiency — and lauded his financial team for ensuring the budget embodies all three.
The premier said the government’s survival in its initial days was tough, as they had a huge current account deficit to deal with. “The initial days of our government were very troubling [….] it was very painful when we had to take tough decisions that had and continue to have consequences for the people.”
Giving the example of Turkey, he said when Recep Tayyip Erdogan had come into power, even his government took loans from the International Monetary Fund and had to face a tough time for three years.
PM Imran Khan thanked Pakistan’s allies — UAE, Saudi Arabia, and China — that had saved Pakistan from defaulting by providing loans.
Had we defaulted, he said, the investors would have pulled out their money from the country’s capital market. “We tried not to approach IMF, but eventually, we had to. Following that, the coronavirus emerged and battered an already struggling economy.”
On the occasion, the premier lauded National Command and Operations chief Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, the Pakistan Army, and others involved in curbing the spread of coronavirus.
PM Imran Khan said Pakistan’s coronavirus situation was better as compared to countries in the region — and it was “due to Allah’s blessings and the poor people’s prayers”.
he also explained detailed programs for poor class, farming sector and Punjab provinces initiatives in that area.
Bilawal vs Qureshi showdown
Before the prime minister’s speech, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi exchanged heated words during a noisy session of the NA.
After severely criticising the government over the provisions of budget 2021-22 and condemning the legislative process conducted on Tuesday, the PPP chairperson left the House.
“He spoke a lot about [parliamentariy] procedures; I would also like to speak on procedures a bit,” said a passionate FM Qureshi after Bilawal and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had spoken.
“Where did he go after making his speech? I want him to return,” he added.
“I would like to ask Bilawal Bhutto to return to his seat; come back to the field and listen to us now,” the foreign minister stated.
The Opposition benches in the National Assembly broke into huge applause when the PPP chairperson, with another lawmaker by his side, returned to his seat.
Later, a war of words erupted between the two leaders when Bhutto took a dig at the foreign minister.
“I would like to request the prime minister to order the ISI to tape Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s phone,” taunted Bhutto. “When he used to be our foreign minister, he ran a campaign around the world to make him the prime minister, instead of Yousaf Raza Gillani,” he added.
“That is why we sacked him from the post of foreign minister,” added the PPP leader.
NA passes Finance Bill 2021 by majority vote
A day earlier, the government had been able to pass the budget with a majority when many PML-N members were absent from the House.
The PPP had attended yesterday’s session with 54 of its lawmakers. Two had not attended the session as they had contracted coronavirus.
PM Imran Khan, FM Qureshi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and other notable ministers were also present during yesterday’s session.
According to the state-run APP, 240 lawmakers had participated in the debate on the federal budget.
The motion was passed with majority vote which led to the passage of Finance Bill, 2021 after clause by clause reading as well as voice voting along with amendments.
