Barbs fly in NA as opposition rejects budget.

ISLAMABAD -- The opposition in the National Assembly on Friday rejected the federal budget 2020-21, criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan for not creating political harmony and assailed military authorities over alleged 'commercial' use of cantonment lands.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf demanded an inquiry against PM Khan for not tackling the coronavirus issue properly. He urged the government to utilise all resources to combat coronavirus.

The house witnessed an exchange of harsh words between members from opposition and treasury benches when ruling PakAiAstan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader AmjAad Ali Khan blamed previous governments of the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for what he called bringing the country to the verge of economic disaster by ample foreign debts and corruption.

The NA session, which started at 11am, lasted over two hours and was adjourned till 12 noon on Monday. The session started with Speaker Asad Qaiser in the chair and the floor was given to Ashraf to speak on the budget.

Ashraf said the attitude of the prime minister and the government was not 'serious' towards addressing the Covid-19 issue and creating political harmony. He said inadequate funds had been allocated for combating coronavirus. 'No other issue is important than Covid-19 at present, but the budget does not reflect this,' he added.

PML-N legislators slam 'commercial' use of cantonment lands

'The government has many wise people, but I don't know who prepared the budget without realising ground realities,' he said.

Ashraf said the government had not followed guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the letters written by the world body to four provinces.

The PPP leader said the prime minister had given an unrealistic statement that 'there was nothing to be worried as it (Covid-19) was just like flu'. 'As a result of the PM's statement, people did not take the virus seriously, causing hundreds of deaths. I demand a commission to launch inquiry against the prime minister,' he said.

He said due to faulty decisions of the government the country's health system had virtually collapsed as not a single bed was available in any public and private hospital for Covid-19 patients. 'Even in Islamabad no bed is available as I tried to get admitted AJK leader of the opposition Chaudhry YasAin, who is suffering from Covid-19, but remaAined failed for the whole day,' he added.

He said inflation...