PPP’s Gillani Slams Budget as 'Discriminatory' Against South Punjab; Demands Fair Representation, Clean Water for Multan
Punjab Assembly Session Descends into Chaos as Opposition Protests; Speaker Vows Action Over Damaged Mic, Unruly Behavior
Lahore: Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Peoples Party in Central Punjab Syed Ali Haider Gillani on Friday strongly protested against the recent budget, accusing the government of discriminatory treatment towards South Punjab. He demanded that female members of the assembly should also be given due representation in budget allocations. Expressing concern over the conditions in Multan, Gilani stated that despite being a major city of South Punjab with a population exceeding 5 million, its residents are forced to drink contaminated water due to the lack of clean water supply.
Gillani also criticized the allocation of only Rs. 123 billion for the agriculture and livestock sectors, calling it an injustice to farmers. He demanded the formation of a committee to investigate the alleged unfair distribution of funds in the budget for South Punjab. He expressed confidence that South Punjab would soon become a separate province.
Highlighting disparities, Gilani pointed out that Multan’s water authority (WASA) received not a single rupee this year, forcing residents to consume toxic water, while Lahore WASA was allocated 147 billion rupees.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Muhammad Ahmad Khan expressed regret over the opposition's protest during the session, stating that Operation Leader and other members damaged the House's microphone, misled the media, and baselessly blamed the Speaker. He warned that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the damage, and a committee would be formed to investigate the incident.
The Speaker also cautioned that legal action would be taken against any member found disrespecting the Finance Minister. He emphasized that the assembly is the members' home and urged unity among lawmakers.
The Punjab Assembly session began one hour and 56 minutes late under the chairmanship of Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan. Shortly after the session started, the issue of a broken microphone arose. The Speaker expressed strong displeasure with Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar, stating, "I am deeply disappointed that you accused us of breaking the microphone. I am a principled man and will never tolerate such allegations. An inquiry will be conducted, and action will be taken against those found responsible. If the microphone was damaged due to the ruckus and hooliganism by your members, they will be held accountable. From now on, I will ensure the Assembly proceedings are strictly rule-based. You must decide how you wish to proceed."
The Speaker also addressed other incidents, saying, "I have formed an inquiry committee regarding the allegations against Bilal Yamin. Abusing others is not a form of protest. Both parties have protested inappropriately—throwing books, attempting to surround the Speaker’s podium—these are highly unacceptable actions. You did not allow the finance minister to speak, just as the treasury benches prevented you yesterday. An inquiry will be conducted into the incident of a book being thrown at the provincial finance minister during the budget speech. The responsible member will be referred to the Ethics Committee. As long as I occupy this chair, I will ensure the dignity of the House. Proceedings will continue as per the law, and no disorder will be tolerated."
Provincial Finance Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman remarked, "We have also been in opposition but never created such an environment. We protested too, but never resorted to abuse. We were willing to listen to the opposition leader’s speech, but they forced us otherwise."
Opposition Leader Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar responded, "If you label our protest as hooliganism, then the same should apply to the treasury members. Protesting is our right—you cannot stop us. No other party has faced the level of mistreatment we have. We repeatedly demanded the release of CCTV footage in the case of Ijaz Shafi, but it was not provided. Hassan Malik was suspended based on selective footage.
Opposition member Ijaz Shafi criticized the recent budget during the debate, calling it "anti-farmer" and pointing out discrepancies in the government's own statistics. He argued that no serious steps were taken to address fundamental agricultural issues. In response, government member Rana Muhammad Arshad defended the budget, highlighting a 21% increase in the education budget and urging the opposition to compare it with previous budgets. He asserted, "We did not come into power by begging. The opposition failed to provide motorcycles in four years, but today, the PML-N government has delivered them." He also noted a 17% increase in the health budget compared to the previous year.
Opposition member Waqas Mann emphasized the need for a balanced budget, comparing it to household finances. He questioned the government's decision to increase expenditures despite low revenue, stating, "When income is low, a household head cuts expenses, but here, spending has been increased instead." He also challenged the government's claims on GDP growth, urging a comparison between the PDM and PTI eras. Mann further disputed the government’s claim of providing loans to 600,000 farmers, stating the actual number was 384,000.
Government member Mehr Khashif countered by recalling Pakistan's history of negative GDP growth, including during the PTI's tenure. He congratulated the Chief Minister on the budget, noting a 47% increase. Meanwhile, PTI parliamentary leader Ali Imtiaz Warraich referenced a World Bank report indicating rising poverty levels. He criticized the budget allocation of 5,535 billion rupees, contrasting it with the province’s revenue capacity of 835 billion and highlighting reductions in the agriculture sector.
Raja Shaukat Bhatti of the ruling party praised Nawaz Sharif’s development projects, taunting the opposition for their discomfort at his mention. He credited Maryam Nawaz’s field hospitals for providing treatment without discrimination and mocked the opposition’s recent setbacks, alluding to a failed political gathering in the US.
Opposition member Adnan Dogar raised concerns over unregulated wheat prices, arguing that providing tractors or farmer cards is meaningless without guaranteed wheat procurement. He criticized the privatization of the education department and the neglect of South Punjab’s demand for a separate province, alleging budget discrimination against the region. He urged the finance minister to allocate funds for South Punjab.
Government member Zakia Shah Nawaz expressed confidence in the Population Welfare Department’s future success, crediting the Chief Minister’s oversight.
Opposition member Shoaib Amir lamented the decline of Pakistan’s cotton industry and the lack of jobs for educated youth, despite parents’ sacrifices. Government member Timur Lali assured that the budget includes new projects, support for the poor through the Himmat Rozgar Card, and rural development. He acknowledged ongoing improvements in road infrastructure and education but stressed the need for better farmer facilities, noting their struggles with high utility bills despite receiving tractors and trolleys.
No comments yet.