PA deputy speaker annoyed over absence of finance minister during budget session.

LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sardar Dost Muhammad Mazari was annoyed over the absence of finance minister and finance secretary from the budget session as both were not present in the House on Friday when the session started. As the session started on Friday, the opposition pointed out that the finance minister and secretary are not present here during the budget session. Deputy Speaker Mazari took notice and said that it is really unfortunate that both are absent. If the Finance Minister himself will show lack of seriousness during the general debate over budget then how one can expect seriousness from other members of the House, said Deputy Speaker. He then adjourned the House for 15 minutes while waiting for the Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakht who came to House after 40 minutes and then the session resumed again. Mazari directed the Finance Minister and Finance Secretary to remain present in the House throughout the budget session.

Parliamentary Leader of Rah-e-Haq party and an ally of the government Maulana Muawia Azam took the floor to participate in the general debate on budget. He demanded that the next budget of Punjab must be interest free as interest-based system is against the Islamic injunctions. He also said that the tax collected from the sale of liquor shouldn't be included in the budget.

PML-N senior MPA Sardar Awais Laghari said that Nawaz Sharif was taunted as 'Friend of Modi' by PTI but now Imran Khan himself gave Kashmir to Modi while also helping India to become member of United Nations Security Council that is utter failure of our foreign policy. He was of the view that the PML-N built motorway for the people of South Punjab that...