Amir Wasim.

ISLAMABAD -- Amidst reports of cracks within the ranks of the ruling alliance, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government on Monday managed to get the federal budget for the financial year 2020-21 passed from the National Assembly, comfortably outnumbering the opposition whose members delivered fiery speeches, but failed to make any difference.

At the time of final vote on the finance bill, generally known as the federal budget, a triumphant Prime Minister Imran Khan was seen raising his hand in the air like he used to during his cricketing days and then receiving felicitations from the treasury members over his latest political victory.

The treasury members raised full-throated slogans in favour of Imran Khan as soon as Speaker Asad Qaiser announced passage of the budget through a voice vote.

The opposition did not insist on a headcount as it had only minutes ago faced a 160-119 defeat during the vote on one of the clauses of the finance bill.

Minister for Planning Asad Umar, while taking to Twitter after the passage of the budget, said: 'Tall claims made by the opposition and some sensationalist analysis by the media over the last few days and the result is that the 29-vote majority - through which last year's budget was passed - has increased to 41 votes.'

The prime minister entered the assembly hall at a time when the treasury and the opposition members were moving amendments to the finance bill, and after Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Khawaja Asif had already spoken and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and hot-headed Communications Minister Murad Saeed had forcefully defended him.

Despite agreeing to observe social distancing due to Covid-19, both the treasury and opposition members had directed the members to attend the sitting and remain present during the crucial vote. The PPP members were more cautious as they were seen wearing face shields throughout the session.

'Why should [PM] Imran Khan resign? What is the logic behind it? Imran Khan enjoys the confidence of this house,' Mr Qureshi thundered while responding to the PPP chairman's speech in which he had asked the prime minister to either apologise to the nation for putting the country's economy and the people's health in danger through his 'wrong decisions' or go home.

'People have given mandate to Imran Khan. Will he resign on your demand? Tum kis khet ki mooli ho (you...